Coimbatore Corporation has shut down the Flower Market on Mettupalayam Road and asked traders to shift to the Shastri Maidan in R.S. Puram.
According to sources, the Corporation was forced to take the decision because the traders were unwilling to cooperate to the civic body’s measures to control the spread of COVID-19 and indulged in COVID inappropriate behaviour.
The Corporation’s decision to shift the traders came three days after the Corporation attempted to decongest the Flower Market by asking around 60 traders to shift to the new market complex it had constructed on the east of Mettupalayam Road, opposite the Market.
The sources said the traders did move but only in front of the officials’ eyes as they returned to the Market fearing loss in business to competitors.
As this happened repeatedly and as the Corporation officials had to drain all their time and resource in disciplining the traders, the Corporation decided it was better to shift all the traders to the Maidan, just as it had shifted them during the 2020 pandemic lockdown.
This, the sources said, would come into effect on Monday, once the Sunday’s complete lockdown period ended.
And, for a couple of days, the Corporation would post a couple of personnel to ensure vigil at the Market, the sources added.
