Chennai: Auto market in Pudupettai struggles to get back on feet

CHENNAI: Pudupettai automobile market, which houses around 1,500 shops, in Chennai is struggling to get back on its feet.
The shops, which reopened this Monday after lockdown norms were eased, is not attracting more customers as anticipated.
Most of these shops usually recorded a daily sales of Rs.20,000-25,000 per day. But currently, it is less than Rs.5,000 per day, say traders there.
One of them, J John, said that with inter-state borders locked, many of their regular customers from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were unable to reach out to shops here.
"Also, many roadside mechanic shops, which rely on Pudupettai for cheaper spare parts, haven't reopened. So with the savings in hand they can manage to pay salaries for workers and run the shops for another two or three months. After which, they might be forced to shut their units," he added.
Despite financial burden, shops in Pudupettai unlike most other private firms didn't sack their employees and paid their monthly wages without any major cuts.
Even local retail customers are hesitant to travel out to purchase replacements. We can see many vehicles running with worn-out spare parts, said R Mahesh, another trader.
He added that two out of the three access roads to the market area were barricaded to prevent spread of the virus. So motorists have to take permission from cops to use Adithanar Road or else they have to take a 2-km detour to reach their shops.
Some of the workers, who earlier stayed in nearby areas, now have to travel all the way from Perumbakkam resettlement colony. Without MTC buses, they were unable to make it to work and this has increased work load on existing work force there.