Small, standalone shops open for business. Orderly transactions.

Small, standalone shops are slowly opening in the busy market spaces of Mylapore, in Alwarpet, Mylapore and in Mandaveli. But their owners are being cautious.

Some have their shutters half open, some are seen regulating shoppers, some still not fully operational.

Almost all small shops – books, electrical, phone recharge kiosks, vessels and spares for kitchenware, stationery….all these on South Mada Street of Mylapore are open now.

There are no crowds at counters, all shoppers are seen wearing masks and keeping some distance.

“People know that henceforth all stores will be open so they don’t have to panic shop,” said one store owner on the mada street.

The street veggies hawker stalls on mada street are open. Stocks are substantial and almost 80% hawkers wear masks or women use the pallus to cover their faces.

Sweets and snack shops are also opening in interior streets of the neighbourhood.

Traffic is steady on the roads, as of 11 a.m.

But in some places uncertainty remains. A Airtel store on C P Ramaswamy Road opened at 10 am and then closed 30minutes later. Airtel had sent messages to all clients saying the stores were open for payments, etc.

Photo shows scene at 11 am on South Mada Street

Photo: Kathiravan/MT