If you thought summer in Hyderabad was all sweat and misery, here’s the bright side. Scores of petty vendors are making the most out of the season, selling cool beverages and watermelon cubes.
On a push cart near the State Assembly, K. Pandu sells pieces of watermelon for Rs. 20 a plate. An investment of about Rs. 800 a day turns in a neat figure between Rs. 1,200 and Rs. 1,500.
“I set up the business every year in summer and earn some money. The rest of the year I work at a tiffin centre,” says the 30-year-old from Nalgonda.
In most cases, the businesses prove lucrative, drawing many to the seasonal business every year. “I manage a tiffin stall in the mornings and sell ‘nimboo pani’ later in the day. I take up the job every summer and save a few thousand rupees,” P. Damodar, a vendor at NTR Garden says.
With these vendors found across the city, selling anything from watermelon cubes and lemonade to pudina pani , fruit juices and soda, the common man finds it easier to beat the heat. Irrespective of class or creed, many stop over at these joints. “One cannot always visit hotels or juice parlours as it works out to be costlier. Instead I prefer the roadside joints for some cool stuff,” says Mohd. Saleem, a marketing executive.
However, many feel one has to be a little cautious about the quality and cleanliness at these joints.
