Business halts at Sowcarpet as traders allege harassment by GST officials

Ritchie Street Electronic Market wears a deserted look after traders closed their shops in support of Sowcarpet merchants amid concerns over GST inspections. | Photo Credit: Johan Sathyadas J Wholesale traders and shops across Chennai’s Sowcarpet and parts of Broadway remained shut on Saturday as merchants observed a bandh to protest against alleged harassment by officials of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) department.The shutdown brought business to a standstill in one of the city’s busiest wholesale markets, with key commercial streets such as Narayana Mudali Street, Govindappa Naicken Street, known for its spices and groceries, and Perumal Mudali Street, which houses hundreds of shops selling glass bangles and cosmetics, wearing a deserted look. A one-day closure of shops in these area