Masjid India, known for its bustling markets, delicious food, and vibrant gold shops, has long been a popular shopping destination. But that all changed drastically following the harrowing sinkhole incident on Aug 23.
In case you’ve been out of the loop, it has been exactly a week since a woman named Vijaya Lakshmi fell 8m deep into the sinkhole, which has shocked the entire nation.
Needless to say, many are now afraid to visit Masjid India, leading to a 50%-70% loss in business for vendors.
We spoke to several vendors in the area to get their thoughts on the sinkhole incident and how they’re coping with the sharp drop in customers.
A close call
We stopped by a retail shop which is famous for its colorful sarees and spoke to the owners about how they felt regarding the sinkhole appearing in the area.
One of the owners named Muthu explained that on the day of the incident, he and his friend left later than usual and by doing so, avoided falling into the sinkhole as it was along the route they take on a daily basis to reach the shop.
Thank God. I feel very lucky as we always walk along the route four times a day to have lunch with my friends. I can’t even believe such a thing can take place here.
“It’s actually quite common to see cones being placed on the road as the authorities frequently carry out repair works to fix potholes. In fact, it was done just a week before the tragedy,” he said.
Muthu said that the road long had its share of sinkholes, especially during rainy days. He also added that with the news of Vijaya falling into the sinkhole now viral, he hopes the issue will be taken more seriously.
We knew something was not right. She (Vijaya) helped reveal the problem so that many will finally take this matter seriously.”
‘Nothing much we can do’
Another store owner named Rani expressed frustration over the sinkhole incident, saying that the tragedy could have been avoided if the warning signs had been addressed earlier.
She also told WeirdKaya that due to the sinkhole, there were no customers walking through the door for three days straight, resulting in significant financial loss.
“I don’t have a backup plan and now I’m forced to go with the flow. What can we do? Nothing can be done or changed,” she lamented.
Nevertheless, she said that she hopes Vijaya will be found soon and that the sinkhole issue in Masjid India will be resolved for everyone’s safety.
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