Chennai lockdown: City corporation mulling to deploy 2,000 1-ton trucks to sell fruits, vegetables

CHENNAI: The commissioner of Chennai corporation Gagandeep Singh Bedi on Tuesday said that the civic body aims to have 2,000 1-ton trucks on the roads to sell fruits and vegetables across the city. 

The civic body is organising the sale of vegetables and fruits in mobile carts as all shops are shut this week as part of the total lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19.

Addressing the reporters, Bedi said there were over 1,600 1-ton-trucks which go from the Koyambedu market to the zones. At the zones, the produce is shifted to tricycles and push carts for sale across all 200 wards. The city corporation aims to have 500 push carts on the road, to enable access to vegetables and fruits during the lockdown.

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"For this, we have asked zonal officials to identify vendors who may be interested. They will be given passes and banners. They have been asked to not sell to customers who are not wearing masks," Bedi said.

"The rates are monitored by the Assistant Revenue Officers in each zone and the rates are fixed considering the wholesale price and the profit margin for vendors. There may be slight differences in rates between areas but if there's a huge difference, residents may inform us," he added.

Gagandeep Singh Bedi and MA Siddique, Secretary of Commercial Taxes, who has been nominated as special coordinator for Greater Chennai Corporation also met with volunteers and NGOs assisting in the Covid management efforts at Ripon buildings, on Tuesday.

A release from the city corporation following the meeting said that the volunteers were awarded a 'GCC Covid Brigade' badge, in recognition of their efforts.