Retailers of various consumer products such as electronics, food chains, clothes and accessories always target some of the main hubs of the Chennai city. Among those places Anna Nagar comes under the top list category owing to the residential revolution that took place in the locality after 1995. In the beginning of 2000 and the following years the real estate concern flourished in Anna Nagar and its locality paving way for dwellers from across the state.
In 2010 Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) started the rail road construction in Anna Nagar. It is the time when all the road side shops faced heavy losses as all the roads were diverted as one way in the main entrance of Anna Nagar. The CMRL construction affected the commercial retailer of the area with the parking difficulties and space congestion created as a result of metro stretches.
A two-kilometer stretch with three metro stations and the roads opened now for both the sides of the traffic are the present scenario of Anna Nagar after the completion of underground metro stations. So the retail shops and other business operations are likely to bloom again with a full advantage of quick transportation and advanced infrastructure in the entire west locality of Chennai.
During the Phase-1 construction that commenced in 2010 many barricades and traffic blocks hindered the local businesses in Anna Nagar. Now the shops are re-opened and many new retails are coming over the area aiming for much better customer friendly locations re-appearing after several years. Blocks have been removed and the roads are widened again allowing the free flow of public engaging local retailers to start their earlier businesses on a full swing again. From 2012 to 2017 a considerate loss of 20 to 30 percent was shared between different retailers and showroom outlets as the whole Anna Nagar area was construction zoned for metro project. Now the leading consumer companies are reviving their business and many concerns are starting new outlets in the area keeping the residential population of Anna Nagar.
One of the shop retailers said that demonetization, GST imposition and added along with Metro rail disruption destructed the businesses of various people in Anna Nagar. Many of them closed their shops and few of them are in the verge of shutting down the entire retail outlets. Now the situation is somewhat brought under control paving some way for comeback of various concerns dealing with retail and consumer products distribution.