Coronavirus: A sprawling market in Chennai that is now in news for wrong reasons

Over 6,000 vendors who procure vegetables, fruits, and flowers from across the country and sell them. Nearly 3,200 shops. 15,000 labourers. A footfall of more than 50,000 and movement of 1,000 lorries every day.

This in nutshell is the Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex built in an area of nearly 65 acres in the heart of Chennai – the unbuilt area is much larger with the entire area earmarked for the purpose spreading across 295 acres.

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This market complex comprising of 1,889 vegetable shops, 828 fruit shops, and 470 flower shops is now a Coronavirus hotspot not just in Tamil Nadu but has contributed to the Covid-19 tally in neighbouring states of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.

Supplies for the wholesale market come from across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Telangana and even from far-away Maharashtra and West Bengal. This is the reason for several people outside of Tamil Nadu contracting the virus as part of the cluster.

The market complex, huge in size with 18 entry and exit points, was inaugurated in 1996 after which all wholesale vendors shifted here from the over-crowded market in the narrow lanes of Kothavalasavadi in the city. Since then, Koyambedu is the go-to place for any vegetable wholesale vendor in Tamil Nadu.

It will not be an exaggeration to say that the market never sleeps as it is abuzz with some activity or the other round-the-clock. Koyambedu is one of the largest perishable markets in Asia, generating crores of rupees in revenue every day, like vegetables, fruits, and flowers are sold in tons.

Lorries from various states arrive at the market a little after midnight to unload vegetables and other supplies after which the wholesale market comes to life at about 4 am.

The supplies from here are not sent just to various parts of Tamil Nadu, but to Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, while specific items are transported to cities like Bengaluru.

After wholesale business ends, vendors also get into retail business from 7 am as thousands of people come to the market to buy “fresh vegetables and fruits.”

Besides, people also come in good numbers to purchase vegetables for marriages, family functions, temple festivals and other mass gatherings as it will be cost-effective to buy from the wholesale market rather than retail outlets in their own towns and cities.

Though there are only 3,200 shops, the vendors could be easily more than 6,000 as many outlets are shared by at least two people who make business separately.

The market complex is maintained by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and managed by the Market Management Committee constituted as per the Tamil Nadu Specified Commodities (Regulation of location) Act 1996.