For 32-year-old Arumugam, earning Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 a day means sitting on the roadside on Nanjappa Road from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. with his sewing machine.
He took up tailoring from his father and grandfather and for the last 12 years, he comes to Gandhipuram every day. He gets regular customers and also new clients who come to alter their dresses. Six to eight tailors, including Arumugam, are seen every day on Nanjappa Road taking up small jobs every day. When the Sunday market is open, the number goes up to even 15.
The tailors prefer coming to Gandhipuram rather than taking up jobs in their localities as it is a commercial hub.
Another tailor, Latha, comes with her husband to Gandhipuram regularly for the last five years. She says that though she knew tailoring, she did not get a job when she looked out for one and hence decided to come here. Though she is open to going for a job now too, she feels she is able to run her business by attending to customers every day at Gandhipuram.
But, all is not well for these tailors in the recent months. With the flyover work going on, the number of customers is reducing. Further, most of them buy second-hand machinery from the tailoring units in Tirupur. Financial support from the government will help them buy better machines, they say.
