- Tharini M
The merchants of Tondiarpet market occupy the whole of the left
side of Thiruvottiyur High Road because of Metro Rail work.
The Metro rail work as a part of Phase-1 extension in Washermenpet,
Tondiarpet, Thiruvottiyur till WIMCO Nagar of North Chennai was started in 2016
and is expected to be completed in 2020. Due to this construction work many
parts of Thiruvottiyur High road or TH road is blocked and there are
diversions.
About 2 months ago they started the construction of a Tondiarpet
station in this New Washermenpet area. Due to this work, the road is blocked on
one side and vehicles are only allowed to travel from Thiruvottiyur towards
Royapuram for about half a kilometre. A morning market is present in this
location which functions till afternoon. Because of the new diversion and
change of this route to one way the merchants of this market have occupied the
entire lift side of this main road and set up their shops under the Metro Rail
line which runs overhead.
“It’s more comfortable for us to set up shops under the
metro rail construction as it provides shade for us from the sun,” says Selva,
a merchant who sells dresses. They also say that the police sometimes ask them
to move their shops if there is too much traffic but other times they don’t
mind. Even the buses which come this way takes a turn to the other side of the
road for about 10 foot where this market is set up. The merchants also say that
many people now come to their shop because there is also more parking space
below the Metro Rail track.
The merchants are enjoying this moment till it lasts as
things will be back to normal in June 2020 when the construction of Metro Rail
phase - 1 extension till WIMCO Nagar is expected to get over.
good work
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