Chennai:A group of traders raised their ire against Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) alleging that they have been denied ownership of their shops as promised to them two decades ago, at the Koyambedu market.
The group of 97 traders maintained that in spite of ample space in the 24-acre market complex and with encroachments noticed, it is CMDA that should allot space for the shops at the fruit market.
“We have been promised space for 97 shops in the fruit market complex at the Koyambedu market in 1998 and now with ample space available at the market premises and with encroachments yet to be evicted, government should intervene and come up with an amicable solution on the issue,” said A. Veeraswamy, a resident of Kanchipuram at a press meet held at the Chennai Press Club on Thursday.
“The earlier government during 1998 has promised us that they will provide space, but later the officials have been ignoring us for unknown reasons,” he added.
However, CMDA officials downplayed the arguments raised by the traders and said no such promises or licenses were issued to the traders for the past six months.
Nearly 500 unauthorised vendors were cleared from the Koyambedu market complex premises after the officials conducted an
eviction drive with the help of police officials during the early hours of Thursday.
Most of the shops raised outside the vegetable market were razed down with the help of bulldozers after a group of vendors resisted the move.
“We had to forcefully evict the encroachers as there was stiff resistance when we started the move. We have asked them to move out before two weeks, but even after no action from their side, we had to take action,” said K. Babu, section engineer, Market Management Committee (MMC), Koyambedu.
More than 400 stalls will be raised at Koyambedu market on the eve of Pongal festival, the MMC officials said.
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