The New Indian Express ·
Eviction ahead of consecration leaves street vendors around Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple in lurch
MADURAI: Hundreds of street vendors who depend on the festival season to earn a significant share of their annual income have been left struggling after being evicted from the roads surrounding the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple as part of measures to regulate traffic and pedestrian movement ahead of the temple’s Maha Kumbabishekam.
The Chithirai streets, which would usually remain bustling with hundreds of vendors selling toys, clothes, accessories and other items, have remained largely vacant for the past two weeks. The Madurai corporation cleared the vending shops from the streets on August 31 ahead of the consecration ceremony.
Speaking to TNIE, K Abbas, president of the Chithirai Streets Vendors Association, said more than 300 vendors, particularly women, have been left without work for the past two weeks.