It is Pongal in T Nagar as traders pull up shutters after 70 days

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The anxious moments for the traders of 26 commercial establishments in T Nagar got over on Tuesday evening as Chennai Corporation and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authorities desealed the premises following the Supreme Court order.

First the seal was broken, then the lock was opened and the notice was removed and then the shutters which were down for 70 days were opened as crowds, which included employees, rejoiced, clapping and distributing sweets.

“We are very happy. It is Pongal for us,” said a jubilant employee of Chennai Silks distributing sweets.

The owners were seen ordering the employees to keep the shops clean as it was more of passers-by who peeped in to have a glimpse of the shops whose fate still remain uncertain after six weeks.

But that did not deter the employees and the employers from celebrating as they know for the next weeks they have to pull up their socks to reap the profits.

M Chitra Pandian, owner of Pandian Fancy Store and a member of Ranganathan Street Merchants Association said “We are happy at last that the shops have opened but it is only temporary for six weeks. We want a permanent solution as this affects 15,000 families. We urge the Tamil Nadu government to give a permanent solution,” said Pandian.

CMDA sources said two teams were deputed from CMDA headed by deputy planner C Mohanraj of enforcement cell Central along with two assistant planners and 12 staff members. They were joined by Chennai corporation officials and the premises were desealed after 5 pm.

Interestingly, CMDA has locked six buildings and the rest was by sealed by Chennai Corporation.

When queried on the reasons for delay, sources said the apex court official order copy arrived late and since the official order was to be passed based on it, it got late.

As the news trickled in of Supreme Court order, employees and owners of 27 commercial establishments were seen waiting eagerly in front of their premises from 10 am onwards. The wait got longer when CMDA sources said they have yet to receive the order.

After rumours started spreading that the premises will be opened only tomorrow, officials proved them wrong by sending in the teams to deseal the premises.

What the Supreme Court Order observed;

--- We requested the high court to hear the appellants and pass order in accordance with law. However, a division bench of Madras High Court instead of deciding the applications for desealing has directed the monitoring committee to dispose them.

----- We request the HC to dispose of all the applications for desealing filed by the association for 26 buildings and the applicants on priority basis. As the matter is placed before HC on fourth week of January, we request the court to take up the applications for desealing on priority basis.

-- We direct that the shops which were sealed by the monitoring committee on October 30 and October 31 be desealed for a period of six weeks.