Hyderabad: This swanky Rythu Bazaar, boon for vendors

Hyderabad: The model Rythu Bazaar in Dharma Reddy Colony Phase 1 of Kukatpally is slowly becoming the talk of the town. Built with Rs 15 crore by the State government, this recently inaugurated facility sprawling over more than an acre has a staggering 447 stalls apart from 23 additional shops equipped with shutters.

While 223 stalls and 18 shops are located on the ground floor the remaining stalls and shops are located on the first floor with a lift also available for the convenience of the public and the vendors.

Granite platforms have been built at every stall to display vegetables and an adequate place has been provided for the farmer to sit in front of his stall. Illumination and ventilation, bulbs and fans, seating arrangements, drinking water and ample parking space are some of the facilities at this modern Rythu Bazaar that has been built to ensure remunerative prices to farmers and provide fresh vegetables to consumers at reasonable rates.

In addition to the amenities provided, the sculpture of a farmer weighing vegetables at the entrance of the structure and artworks/ theme-based painting taken up at multiple places on the walls of the building makes this facility more attractive and different from other Rythu Bazaars built to act as an interface between farmers and consumers, eliminating intermediaries.

Speaking about the facility, officials of the Agricultural Marketing Committee said that most of the stalls and shops would be allocated to the farmers while a few would be given to members of the Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) groups.

Speaking to Telangana Today, farmers expressed their happiness and lauded the efforts of the State government in building the modern Rythu Bazaar. “We were expecting a basic structure with places marked for farmers to sell vegetables but developing this kind of quality infrastructure for us is laudable. I would like to thank the government for providing a dignified place to sell our harvest,” said B Yadagiri, selling ridge gourd and okra.

T Kaunsala, selling over four varieties of vegetables including bottle gourd, said they were no longer exposed to mosquitoes. “This workplace provided to us is very clean; finally we have a decent place to run our business. Before the market was built, I used to sell vegetables under the Hitec City bridge like many others who are now operating from this new facility,” she said.

Another farmer, G Bhaskar, selling green chillies and leafy vegetables, thanked the government citing that they no longer had to be at the mercy of the sun or rain to earn a livelihood.