Pongal bonanza for traders after SC deseals T Nagar shops for six weeks

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

After more than two months, respite for T Nagar traders came in the form of Supreme Court order to deseal 27 shops and establishments in T Nagar on Monday.

Traders heaved a sigh of relief but then the shops have yet to pull up the shutters since many are still waiting to have a glimpse of the order, said Feroze Khan, who is a Financial treasurer and a partner of Shabnam Garments.

The Chennai Corporation and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) took action against the commercial establishments on Ranganathan Street and Usman Road in T Nagar on October 31 following a directive of the Madras High Court to the CMDA, the Corporation, Metrowater and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.

“This is happy news after more than two months and it is a consolation to many of us that the shops are opened at least for six weeks,” said Khan.

But then there are also worries writ largely on the face of many traders fearing the creditors who will be demanding their money. “Till the shops were closed we had an excuse that we could not pay the debts because the shops are closed but now we have no excuse,” said a trader who owns a shop in a complex.

Suresh, another trader who owns Priya Dresses in V K K Complex said that this is a respite after 69 days. “We will knowing the exact nature of loss only when we open our shops on Tuesday. The garments will be affected and now I have to sell a Rs 400 worth pant for Rs 50 only. We have been reduced to beggars. What has the government got out of it. It only the lawyers who benefited out of it,” he rued.

Interestingly, shop-owners like Suresh who owns Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh may still have the Pongal as a solace to cut down the losses. N Sukumaran, secretary of Ranganathan Street Merchants Association and owner of a shop where the Jayachandran Textiles is housed says that he feels relaxed after the court judgement. “It would have been better if they would have opened the shops before December 20 as we could have Christams, New Year and Pongal to reap profit. This year has began on a sour note,” he added.