Covid crisis: Tea stall owner looks to revive business at Khanapur station

BELAGAVI: About 79 years ago, before India gained Independence, the Tinekar family set up a small tea canteen at the Khanapur Railway Station, and it slowly grew into the mainstay for their economic survival.
Established in 1942, the canteen thrived for many decades until fate struck two blows, in the form of track doubling and the Covid-19 pandemic. Business crashed when trains stopped plying and the once-bustling station of Khanapur fell silent. It spelt ruin for the Tinekar family, three generations of which have run the canteen and were dependent on the tea and vada-pav business.  

“It has been a struggle for the past 24 months,” says Deepak Tinekar (38). “There were no customers and and we were unable to sustain business during these months.” Paying rent became impossible, and as the dues piled up to Rs 1.57 lakh, the Railways sealed the canteen. Tinekar approached the authorities but failed to convince them to treat his case with leniency. He says he is willing to pay rental dues and licence fee, but can only do so in instalments.

Twelve trains once plied through Khanapur station, but now the number is just six, and even those trains are irregular. “Business has picked up after trains became regular, and I am sure I can do well again,” says Tinekar. With little experience in any other line of work, Tinekar has now set up a roadside tea stall, but is unable to do good business. “I cannot even look for any other job,” he says.

Tinekar has urged the Railway authorities to reconsider his case on a humanitarian basis, as the pandemic is a global financial crisis. He has already approached the Divisional Commercial Manager and other officials. However, the Railway authorities have clarified that all those doing business on the station premises have to abide by the rules. Unless all dues are cleared, they will not be allowed to run their stalls. Many of the businessmen have paid their dues and Tinekar should do likewise, they say.

British helped start canteen

Late Waman Venkatesh Tinekar, grandfather of Deepak, was a noted cook during British rule and served British officials for 13 years at Castlerock in Uttara Kannada. In appreciation of his service, they helped him establish a canteen at Khanapur railway station, recalled Deepak Tinekar.