CHENNAI: With every seal that was broken on stores on Ranganathan Street on Tuesday evening, cheers went up from the 1,000-strong crowd. After more than two months, 25 shops that were sealed by the

and

for violating building norms were reopened following orders passed by the Supreme Court on Monday.

“I am relieved to be back at work,” said an employee of Chennai Silks as he bowed at the entrance and said a quick prayer. Chennai Silks was the first shop to be unsealed on Tuesday at 5pm.

The shop owners could have restarted business on Monday morning but chose to wait for the authorities to remove the seals. “It was the government who sealed the shops. We did not want to create more complications so we waited for officials to break the seals,” said south Chennai president of Tamil Nadu Vaneegar Sangamalin Peravai S Soundarajan.

Corporation commissioner P W C Davidar said that as per the rules, only the corporation was authorised to open the shops. “We received the order around 2pm and started opening the shops around 5pm. The whole operation was smooth,” he said.

About 1,000 of Chennai Silks’ 1,800 employees were present and wasted no time in resuming sales. “We have started diverting goods from other branches to resume sales. The government has to protect us from further damages. Our losses have run to several crores,” said one of the owners of Chennai Silks, K Sivalingam.

“We should have opened on Monday afternoon itself but had to wait for the authorities,” said Chennai Silks manager Ravindran. “There are about three lakh unauthorised buildings in the city. If all of them were to be demolished, locked or sealed, it would create a law and order problem. I hope the government acts in the best interest,” he said.

Minutes after the shutters were opened, crowds gathered at the entrance, waiting to get back to their shopping. “I heard that the shops would be opened on Tuesday and so I came to T Nagar,” said P Revathy, who had come with her children.

Street hawkers distributed sweets to everyone. “These shops give us good business too. It is good for us that they have been opened,” said a hawker who sells toys.