Work is still in progress across the sprawling Swaraj Maidan, which is in a mess with building material strewn all around the place. Workers scurry from one end of the semi-built structures to another row of partially-constructed structures.
Walking past this clutter, local media personnel reached the venue of a press meet organised on Sunday to announce the formal inaugural of the 38th round of the annual All-India Industrial and Agricultural Exhibition. The press meet venue is abutting the main entrance that has a massive replica of an eagle welcoming the visitors into the enchanting world of games, entertainment and a consumer fair.
Announcing the formal inaugural, society secretary G.V. Rama Rao said that though it may take another four to five days to set up all the stalls, Sunday was auspicious for the inaugural.
He said that unlike every year when the exhibition commenced in March, coinciding with the school vacations due to which a large number of children, along with their parents, visited the place, there was a delay this year.
He attributed the delay to the Sri Mahalakshmi Yagam, which, he said ate into the exhibition schedule. “The organisers of the preceding event took time for construction of the venue and the event concluded only by April-end. Subsequently, the exhibition society could get permission only on April 18 and so the delay,” he said.
He said that of the total 329 stalls, 270 were confirmed and the 45-day exhibition will remain open till July 15, he said.
The society broke the tradition of hosting the annual exhibition for the last 36 years in a row by skipping it last year followed a controversy surrounding the society members. After a prolonged period of dilly-dallying, the society dropped the idea of hosting the exhibition last year much to the chagrin of the city-dwellers.
Society members V. Ramprasad, Y. Veeraiah, Dhanalashmi, Chalasani Subbarao, T. Krishnamohan, and V.V.L. Kumar were present.
