In Tamil Nadu's Nallampali weekly market, roadside shops disrupt traffic flow

DHARMAPURI: Farmers setting up shops along the roadside at the Nallampali weekly market, which is held every Tuesday,  is disrupting traffic flow in the area.

Nallampalli weekly market is one of the busiest markets in Dharmapuri. On average as many as 300 farmers from the taluk set up shop here to trade livestock, vegetables, fruits, flowers and even snacks. Despite establishing a proper market here, most people set up shops along the State Highways connecting Dharmapuri and Salem causing severe traffic constraints. Commuters and bus drivers stated that the set up of shops on roads poses a huge inconvenience.

Commenting on the matter, a TNSTC bus driver from Dharmapuri said, "On Tuesdays, it is extremely tedious to drive in Nallampalli as it houses the weekly market. Apart from shops being set up on the roadside, almost half the road is encroached by makeshift shops. We urge the police to regulate traffic here."

M Selvaraj, a farmer from Balajangamahalli said, " There is enough space in front of the taluk and BDO office to house the market. However, most of this area is extremely unhygienic. So people set up shops by the roadside. We hold the markets here once a week and people from all over the district come here for trade. The poor sanitation in the area irks shopkeepers as it pushes them to move outside."

R Kavitha, a vegetable vendor said, "The market administrators are biased. They favour their own people and others are provided shops in areas where people seldom visit. Everyone wants to set up shop near the entrance of the market to make profits. But a few people takeover these spots and this causes loss to others. So we stopped selling inside the markets and started selling by the roadside."

When asked, Agriculture department officials told TNIE that they will look into the issue. Police officials commenting on the traffic issues said, "We regularly place staff here to ensure free flow of traffic. As the roads are narrow, sometimes there is a traffic backlog."