Chennai: One of Asia’s largest markets for perishable goods, the Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex in Chennai was shut when it became a Covid-19 hotspot, but its replacement, a temporary market on the outskirts of the city, shows no signs of the original’s life and buzz.
The Koyambedu market was designated a Covid hotspot after many vendors and labourers tested positive for coronavirus. The government had shut the market earlier this month and opened a temporary market in Thirumazhisai, in the Thiruvallur district.
The Komaybedu market is usually home to a number of labourers from the unorganised sector who have been staying inside the market for two decades. But right now, it is completely deserted. The rush and bustle it used to witness on a daily basis is missing from the temporary market, as only a few wholesalers have been allowed to open their shops in the Thirumazhisai space.
ThePrint’s photojournalist Manisha Mondal brings the scene from both markets.
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