All the crowds, vehicles and cacophony are back

All the crowds, vehicles and cacophony are back

Tea shops and automobile workshops attract a lot of businessIt was like any other Monday at Kalavasal, Goripalayam and Periyar bus standJewellery stores are near empty as cautious customers stay away

12/05/2020, SANJANA GANESH AND , P.A. NARAYANI,MADURAI

With a large number of business establishments resuming operations following further relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, all major roads in Madurai were flooded again with two-wheelers and four-wheelers.

It was like any other Monday at Kalavasal, Goripalayam and Periyar bus stand, some of the busiest places in the city.

The opening of tea shops (for parcel service) after around six weeks was sure to be a boon for labourers, said K. Ibrahim, the proprietor of Subam Coffee Bar. On Monday, when his shop opened after a 45-day break, Mr. Ibrahim said that both the labourers working at his shop and daily wagers at construction sites and small businesses were dependent on a glass of tea to keep them charged. Apart from tea and coffee, he served home-made vadas. “Tea shops formed part of a chain of Indian economy. Our tea master and vada master get jobs. We purchase a lot of milk, sugar and tea leaves, and we boost the economy,” he said.

L. Ravi, a tea shop owner from Palanganatham, said he did not have enough sachets to give ‘parcel tea.’ “Only a few bring flasks or vessels to buy tea,” he said.

However, R. Kanakaraj, the owner of Food Park Bakery, said people preferred sitting down at a shop to drink tea or eat baked goods. “Unless we allow people to sit down, we may not receive many takeaway orders,” he said.

Huge crowds were witnessed in front of two-wheeler and four-wheeler servicing shops. “A large number of customers say they are unable to start their vehicles and due to the hot summer, flat tyres pose a problem,” said S. Nagaraj who services vehicles at Kalavasal.

In stark contrast to these crowded shops were the near empty jewellery stores. Madurai Jewellers and Bullion Merchants Association secretary R. Sivarajan said jewellery shops would not attract much of a business as people will be wary of making investment in jewellery at this juncture.

“Only after taking care of their immediate needs will they think about buying jewels. Transport restriction will also affect jewellery sales,” he said.

Mr. Sivarajan said that it would be better for jewellery shops to open when the spread of COVID-19 is curtailed to the maximum. “If all shops open and the spread of the disease is fast, there will be another long lockdown which could be very damaging,” he said.