Chennai's alternative wholesale vegetable market is expected to begin its operations on Sunday, nearly five days after the Koyambedu wholesale market complex was temporarily shut down as the complex emerged as the new epicenter for COVID-19 spread. The alternative market would be installed at Thirumazhisai, which is about 20 kilometers far from Koyambedu. 

According to the reports, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam would be inspecting the alternative market on Saturday following which the authorities would allocate the shops for the vegetable vendors to resume their trades amid the outbreak. 

The authorities are ensuring that the marketplace has the platform for social distancing between the vendors and customers. The reports stated that each shop in Thirumazhisai market will be given around 400-500 square feet and with the front area of 200 square feet to ensure that social distancing plays its role. It has been expected that the shops would be allotted for over 450 wholesale traders, who were previously attached to the Koyambedu market. 

The authorities had disclosed the list of these traders to the government. The Koyambedu market complex, which is one of the largest perishable goods markets in the country, had temporarily closed its corridors on last Monday after it has emerged as the largest epicenter for COVID-19 spread in the state. Previously, the retail markets were closed in the complex and shifted to alternative locations.

The Koyambedu cluster has directly impacted the districts like Ariyalur, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur as most of the positive cases for the virus had linked to the Koyambedu market. On Friday, the state health department has revealed that 1589 people who have tested positive for the virus in the state had linked to the Koyambedu cluster which is nearly 20% of the total affected cases in the state. 

The government has earlier announced that the alternative market would start functioning from May 7. However, it hasn't begun as expected and the delay in the resumption of the wholesale market had let the vegetable prices go high in the city due to the shortage in the supply of the vegetables in the market.