The proposal for shifting the retail sale of vegetables and fruits at Vellore old bus stand is yet to take off. Though it was supposed to be implemented from Friday, it was deferred to Saturday, for want of ‘quorum’.
With the Vellore Corporation cleaning up the old bus stand for setting up the shops with 10 feet X 10 feet with one and half metre social distancing marks waited for shop owners to come. The workers used disinfectant in shopping and storage areas for the 150 shops. However, people once again thronged the Nethaji Market as they were not sure of the time when the new arrangement would come into force.
There are about 150 retail vendors and as many as flower merchants in the Nethaji Market, but only seven shops opened their business. Though tomato, garlic, pappaya, plantain, oranges were sold by the sellers, there was enormous demand for other vegetables, which are being supplied from farms in Anaikattu, Katpadi and Gudiyatham blocks.
Meanwhile, the district administration has allowed the shopkeepers to open their retail outlets between 6 a.m. and noon and the arrangement would be in force from Saturday.
As a preventive measure, fire service and police vehicles were put into use for disinfecting major offices, crowd gathering places, hospitals and main thoroughfares.
