If you are heading to Koyambedu this week, the Ayudha Pooja special market is open until 23 October 2026 on the parking ground of the foodgrains market. The Koyambedu Market Management Committee set it up from 14 October for puffed rice (pori), beaten rice (aval), banana saplings, festoons, pumpkins and other pooja items, with drinking water, toilets, signboards and loudspeaker announcements for visitors, according to Deccan Chronicle and DT Next. Ayudha Pooja falls on 19 October.
The rest of the year, Koyambedu is where much of Chennai’s vegetables, fruit and flowers change hands before they reach your street vendor or supermarket. Knowing how it is organised makes a visit quicker and cheaper.
Who runs it and how big it is
The Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex was developed by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. CMDA’s project page describes a 295-acre scheme beside Poonamallee High Road and Nesapakkam Road, with a first phase of 3,194 shops for perishables.
Day-to-day management sits with the Market Management Committee, formed under the Tamil Nadu Specified Commodities (Regulation of Location) Act, 1996, which has run the complex since December 1996. It handles cleaning, water, sewage, toilets, security, traffic, trader licences, vehicle entry fees and a bio-methanation plant that processes market waste. A Chief Administrative Officer, of District Revenue Officer rank, oversees routine work.
The sections
A 2023 report in DT Next put the complex at 3,941 shops, split as follows:
| Section | Shops |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | 1,985 |
| Fruits | 992 |
| Foodgrains | 492 |
| Flowers | 472 |
The vegetable market is the largest and busiest. The fruit section is next to it, and the flower market is the place most Chennai households know from festival mornings. The foodgrains market, which sells rice, pulses, spices and dry goods, is separate and generally calmer. Supplies come from across Tamil Nadu and from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Maharashtra and West Bengal, according to a 2020 Deccan Herald report. That report also noted about 15,000 workers and daily footfall of over 50,000.
When it works
Koyambedu is a wholesale market built around overnight truck arrivals, and the heaviest trading happens before most of the city wakes up. CMDA does not publish a single set of opening hours for visitors, and hours have been changed by special orders in the past; during the 2020 reopening, for example, vegetable lorries were allowed to unload only between 6 pm and midnight. If you plan to buy in bulk for a wedding or function, call the Committee office first (9445391293, listed on the CMDA page) or ask a trader you know.
Practical points for a household visit:
- Wholesalers prefer to sell by the bag, crate or bundle. Some will sell smaller lots; many will not. Go with a list and a rough quantity.
- Prices drop as the morning goes on and stock clears, but choice drops too.
- Wear closed footwear. During the northeast monsoon, the lanes between sheds can get muddy and slippery.
- Carry cloth bags and small change. Cash and UPI are both commonly used.
Getting there
The complex is on Poonamallee High Road, next to the old CMBT bus terminus. Metro is the simplest option: Koyambedu and CMBT stations on Chennai Metro’s Green Line are within walking distance. MTC buses on Poonamallee High Road stop nearby. Two-wheelers and cars pay an entry fee at the gate; the Committee collects vehicle entry fees, though the CMDA page does not list current rates. On festival days, expect police diversions around the market and allow extra time.
Festival rush: what to expect
Flower and fruit prices tend to climb in the days before big festivals such as Ayudha Pooja, Vinayaka Chaturthi, Deepavali and Pongal, and the market sees its biggest crowds then. For Ayudha Pooja 2026, CMDA’s chief executive S.P. Karthikaa chaired a coordination meeting with the police, Fire and Rescue Services, Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai Metro Rail and traders before the special market opened, DT Next reported. Officials are posted in shifts to manage vehicles.
A few rules of thumb help:
- Buy non-perishables such as pori, aval and festoons two or three days ahead.
- Buy flowers and banana leaves on the eve of the festival, not the morning of it.
- Use the metro and avoid bringing a car on the two days before the festival.
Quick answers
When is the Koyambedu Ayudha Pooja special market open?
From 14 to 23 October 2026, on the foodgrains market parking ground.
How many shops are there in Koyambedu market?
About 3,941, including 1,985 vegetable, 992 fruit, 492 foodgrain and 472 flower shops, per a 2023 report.
Who manages Koyambedu market?
The Market Management Committee under CMDA, set up under a 1996 state law.
Which metro station is nearest?
Koyambedu and CMBT stations on the Green Line.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex (CMDA)
- Market Management Committee (CMDA)
- Koyambedu market website to list prices (DT Next, August 2023)
- Koyambedu to host special market for Ayudha Pooja (Deccan Chronicle, 14 October 2026)
- Koyambedu special market opens Wednesday for Ayudha Pooja shopping (DT Next, 13 October 2026)
- Koyambedu wholesale market reopens after four-month shutdown (Deccan Herald, September 2020)
