“When these vendors sell vegetables on the market road, it leads to a space crunch. Also, their business has been impacted as the public doesn’t go inside the market. During the pandemic, the officials had allowed 20 vendors to set up shops. But there are 300 of them now,” said S Muthukumar, president, Koyambedu Semi-wholesalers Welfare Association. 

Both the wholesale and retail traders are frustrated because they have to pay shop rent and tax at the market, whereas these unlicensed vendors have occupied the space causing them trouble. Multiple complaints have been registered with the authorities seeking action. 

“Apart from the encroachments, we have spotted these vendors engaging in illegal activities like drinking and use of ganja. They also throw the used alcohol bottles, making the place filthy. No action has been taken on this yet,” said Babu R, a retail vendor at Koyambedu vegetable market. 

Shopkeepers said the removal of these encroachments would lead to the opening up of more space. They alleged that the encroachers seldom followed COVID protocols and it could easily become a hotspot.