Post-Covid, jobless turn vendors in Hubballi

HUBBALLI: Post lockdown, street vendors have set up shop at many residential areas. Many of them lost their jobs due to the lockdown and opted to become fruit and vegetable vendors.
Initially many started their new business in front of their houses, and some chose to use goods autos or pushcarts. Now, many have set up shops on pavements.
They set up temporary stalls in residential areas on Gokul road, Manjunath Nagar, Deshpande Nagar, Keshwapur among others during the lockdown. Now most of these stalls are slowly becoming permanent fixtures.
Farooq Shaikh, a fruit vendor in Deshpande Nagar said, “During lockdown we used to take fruits on pushcarts to many areas and people were not letting us stay in one place. But now, it has been almost two years since we started and people are not only recognising us, but also relying on us. This prompted us to setup a stall on the roadside.”
Basavaraj Bendigeri, a vegetable vendor said, “I was working at clothes shop for over a decade. Post lockdown the shop owner removed me, after which I jumped into vegetable business and set up a small shop in the house. People used to buy vegetables from the house, later many suggested me to open a shop on the roadside. Since then, I am running my business in Anand Nagar.”
Shakuntla Tai, a resident of Deshpande Nagar said, “Earlier we were scared of buying fruits and vegetables due to Covid-19. Gradually we started buying vegetables and fruits from the street vendors.”
Construction activities
According to sources, the number of street vendors in residential areas has increased recently because of construction work at Janata Bazaar. Some vendors are reluctant to go to places where authorities have set up a temporary market and this is also a reason for the increase in street vendors.
HDMC commissioner Suresh Itnal said, “We know that vendors have increased at many residential areas. Officials will visit such places and allow vendors to continue their business if the roads are wide and pedestrians can walk freely. If the roads are narrow and vendors are blocking movement of pedestrians and vehicles, such stalls will be removed.”