KOCHI: Traders of Broadway and Ernakulam markets are planning to launch a protest by closing down all shops in the area if the district authorities fail to meet their demands in the coming days. Permission to open 50 per cent of shops on alternate days and two entry and exit points are some of the demands being raised by the traders who feel that the SOP issued by the authorities earlier is difficult to be implemented and impractical. The SOP included the opening of only 30 per cent of shops in the market area, which was earlier declared as a containment zone, and allowing only one entry and exit point to the market.

However, this move has invited the ire of traders who feel the rules will only cause troubles to them and their customers. “The rule that mandates one entry and one exit point is not possible as around 2,200 shops are located in the area. It also doesn’t solve the problem of crowding in the market,” said K M Vipin, secretary, Kerala Merchants Chamber of Commerce (KMCC). “At present, there is no entry point from MG Road and hence customers have to walk more than one kilometre from Marine Drive to Banerjee Road. The problem can be solved if there is a second entry and exit point near Broadway South end and at Gopala Prabhu Road,” said Vipin.

To prevent lockdown violations, various traders’ associations, under the leadership of KMCC, are also willing to offer the service of a group of volunteers to create awareness among the public on the importance of maintaining social distancing and wearing face masks. Traders’ associations also held a meeting on Sunday to address the issues of wholesale dealers who have incurred huge financial losses since the closure of the market. 

“We have asked them to prepare an estimate of the losses. Based on that, other traders will offer financial assistance to them,” said KMCC president G Karthikeyan. He mentioned the role of provision traders of the market in tackling the food crisis in Chellanam panchayat soon after the area was declared a containment zone. “Based on the directive of the authorities, our traders had reopened their shops and gave groceries free- of-cost,” said Karthikeyan.