Weekly mkts sprout across Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Weekly pavement markets in streets have become a boon for sellers and a rather costly facility for the consumers in residential areas. There has been a rise in such markets in city across different localities for quite some time. There are different views of people on the prices in such make-shift markets. Some say that it’s a bitter pill for consumers and vendors can prosper if they keep their prices moderate.

Syed Majid Ali from Tolichowki said that prices of vegetables and other groceries in the make-shift weekly market were very high. ``Vendors in these markets are fleecing the people. We had to pay a heavy price for buying essentials in our own colonies,’’ he said.

On the other hand, Faheem Uddin, a graphic designer, who generally buys vegetables from the Shanti Nagar weekly market, says that he has no complaints with regard to prices. ``I don’t find prices of vegetables here higher; instead it’s a great facility for the locals. We don’t need to go too far for buying vegetables, fruits and other things”, he said.

In the beginning, these markets were limited only to vegetables. But they are now turned into a one-stop-solution for most domestic needs. These make-shift markets have become common in Malakpet, Vijayanagar Colony, Bazarghat, Dilsukhnagar, Tolichowki, Gachibowli and many other areas. Sai, a vegetable vendor at Shantinagar, says that he brings vegetables from Bowenpally market yard. He said that he visits three or four make-shift markets to sell vegetables and has been getting good income.

Prices of vegetables here would be obviously more than what they are at Rythu Markets because we have to include transportation charges and other liabilities, he said. People are not complaining much about high prices since they are saved from going far places to buy groceries in relatively heavy traffic.

Another vegetable vendor Shankar Prasad said that it was a benefiting business indeed since people do not negotiate much as they are getting groceries at their doorstep. He said that most of the buyers come from nearby colonies and they were very comfortable in buying things at slightly higher rates.

Syed Sher Ali, a fruit vendor in Bazarghat weekly market accepts that prices are slightly higher than conventional markets; but argues that it’s a public service. He denied paying anything to the traffic cops or GHMC officials for doing business there.

By: Mohammed Younus