The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Panagal Park, Usman Road wear a deserted look

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Panagal Park, Usman Road wear a deserted look

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, FEB. 8 . Panagal Park and Usman Road in T. Nagar's wore a deserted look today with over 90 commercial establishments, including textile stores and jewellery shops, remaining closed. The reason: the traders' association had decided to observe Tuesday as a weekly holiday.

Pasted on the shutters were notices stating that every Tuesday would be a holiday, starting today.

The closure decision was taken at the general body meeting of the Panagal Park and Usman Road Traders Association convened last week. The association office-bearers, include P. Balasubramaniam (president), G. Rajendran (vice-president) and Nalli Kupuswamy (honorary president).

Prominent stores such as Kumaran Silks, Nalli Silks, G.R.T. Thanga Maligai, Rm.K.V. Silks and Prince Jewellery were closed.

Not total

However, shops on Ranganathan Street and Pondy Bazaar remained open. The commercial establishments in these areas come under other associations.

The association secretary, T. Sarathy, said that the idea had been under discussion since August last. Eighty-seven shop-owners, who were members, supported the proposal following which it was implemented.

The members had chosen Tuesday as it was usually a lean day for business. Many customers considered Tuesday to be inauspicious for shopping. Normally, around five lakh people visit the area for shopping, Mr. Sarathy said.

"Traders were not in favour of a Sunday holiday, as we get maximum number of shoppers that day." Moreover, a weekly holiday was ideal for maintenance of both the area and the shops and make T. Nagar a model area, he said.

Usually, the area is heavily choked with traffic and a hindrance to developmental works. in the area. "Such a measure enabled Tamil Nadu Electricity Board workers to take up repair works today as the streets are free of traffic," he said.

But, hotels and sweet shops, which fall under the association's jurisdiction, were open today. They will decide after seeing the response from other traders and the number of shoppers. The members also hope that non-members in the area would eventually follow suit.

One might recall that when the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority was implementing the Sustainable Chennai Project in the late 90s, the concept of staggering of holidays was mooted to decongest busy areas.

In a series of meeting, the CMDA planners convinced traders associations in different shopping areas of Chennai to observe holiday's on different days.

But the idea did not get off later due to differences of opinion among traders.

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