Chennai: The Koyambedu wholesale market wore a desolate look on Tuesday with traders calling a one-day strike in support of Jayalalithaa and a plea for her early release.
Fruit, vegetable and flower markets remained shut throughout the day, with black flags being put around the complex as a mark of protest.
Traders say the bandh was planned five days ago and supplying markets as far as Maharashtra and Hosur in Karnataka were informed in advance to stock up and not send loads.
V.R. Soundararajan, a trader at the market, says, “We made the preparations five days ago and asked for supplies to be stopped. We are asking for the early release of Jayalalithaa.”
The vegetable market receives nearly 300 trucks of vegetables a day. One day’s closure resulted in a loss of Rs 1 crore, say traders. It also added to the existing problems of people in the city who have also been dealing with bandhs called by bus services and schools.
Balasubramanian L, a flower trader at the market, says, “Our sales start early in the morning by 7 am and go on till late in the evening. Most of the people knew of the shut down and so kept away. Others had to turn back.” The Koyambedu wholesale market will be back to normal business on Wednesday.
