CHENNAI: Owners of shops selling automobile spares and accessories on General Patters Road here laid siege to the Anna Salai Police station on Thursday alleging that their business is being hit by the umpteen number of brokers who are luring away their customers. According to the protestors, the brokers are employed on commission basis by some automobile shops located off GP Road, leading to loss of genuine customers. “Shops located on the main road used to get good business. In order to sustain in the market, some shops entertain these brokers,” said Naveen, a shop owner.Many times, the brokers “hijack customers” with low price quotations and at times sell spurious spares. “They have a tendency to pound in front of customers’ car, leading to accidents, said Harish, another shop owner.Apart from luring away customers, some brokers in the area consume alcohol with the commission money and lie in front of the shops, said Susheel, another shopkeeper. Shop owners’ representatives met the D2 Police Station Inspector Murugesan and submitted a complaint requesting action against the brokers. The Inspector has convened a meeting on Friday in the presence of higher officials, said Naveen. Speaking to Express after the meeting, Naveen said there are plans to install CCTV cameras along the GP Road to monitor the activities in the locality.The area once famous for its auto trade is slowly losing its prominence due to the unethical practices by some shopkeepers. People who have visited the area recently said that even shopkeepers on the main road too engage brokers.“I drove to GP Road on Wednesday to by a car accessory. I was shocked to find at least four brokers appearing from nowhere, trying to woo me. They even offered a parking place and tried to drag me to a shop on the main road. When I said I preferred a particular shop, they started hurling abuses,” said a resident of Kodambakkam, who wished not to be named.
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