While the decision was taken to ensure that the market did not emerge as a hub, what has caused consternation among traders and retailers is the way it was done. There was no prior announcement, which left many a retailer in the lurch, they complained. 

“Many retail traders who come from areas like Adyar and Anna Nagar were not aware that the market time was changed to midnight to 5 am. So when they came at their usual time, the business was wound up. If we don’t close the shop by 5 am, policemen throw away the fish we have,” said MP Vishnu, a wholesale trader at the fish market. 

Many retailers who were not aware of the change in timing could not purchase fish, and had to return empty-handed. “We went to purchase around 2 am as usual. But by then everything was sold. Only then did we come to know about the new timing. Even the fishermen or wholesale traders didn’t inform us,” said Kala M, a retail trader at Royapuram, who rued about the business being dull for the past one week. 

The sale was over early also because only a few fishermen from here ventured for fishing, added Vishnu, adding that the customers too fell due to Aadi Amavasai.