“Pondy Bazaar: Charm lost, complex gained!”

The very essence of shopping at T Nagar was the pavement shopping or window shopping that we all did. After moving 600 plus shops into a newly developed complex at the end of Theagaraya Road, Pondy Bazaar seems to have been completely locked into few blocks!

Deeptha Sreedhar

“Madam try this madam…. only 250, rate parthukulam… Just check it out!” Such lines still echo in the ears of a shopaholic Chennaiite, even though the traditional pavement shops in Pondy Bazar have been shifted to a new commercial complex near Big Bazaar mart. After an exhaustive day long shopping, the cone-ice cream and pop-corn sellers are a haven sight to every shopper. The biggest attraction to these shops is that they are readily available the moment one steps out of a giant clothing store. Energy is saved and the things the pavement sellers offer fits the budget that is left after major shopping. The accessories shops act as the match-makers with the garments that we purchase. In short, the pavement shops completed once purchase at T Nagar.

Like every coin, pavement shops had two sides to their existence. While it was a rosy experience to shop for the public, it caused serious traffic and parking woes for others. In order to shop at Naidu Hall, one had park near Nalli at times! That is quite a walk in hot sun. 

After more than a decade long battle, things were settled amicably with the Chennai Corporation and Pavement Sellers association, when a modern and new commercial complex with three blocks was built and allocated to 680 plus shop-keepers. By late 2013, all sellers were shifted into the new space.

The complex gives street shopping a whole new meaning with all-under one roof concept. The construction is neat, three blocks spread across three floors and two sections each. Each floor has swanky lifts, several rest rooms, ample lighting and walking space. Shop-owners from Ranganathan street, South Usman , North Usman road and Pondy Bazaar were all housed in it.

“The new complex made us all shop-keepers from road-side sellers over night!” commented a happy seller. The things sold are the same, the people selling them are the same, and the bargain offered and made is the same. However the one thing that is missing from earlier is the congested pavement that one wades through in a huge crowd and the feeling of fighting our way out to reach the complete point!