This story is from June 30, 2020

Road-side ‘chai walahs’ are back in business

Road-side ‘chai walahs’ are back in business
Ashish Bansal a tea vendor seen without Mask at G K-I Market in new Delhi on Friday. PHOTO BY----------SANJEEV RASTOGI (to go with Jasjeev's story)
Vadodara: Since the lockdown ended, Gujaratis have preferred to stay away from restaurants and roadside eateries as a precautionary measures. But there is one beverage that they began drinking the moment roadside stalls opened two weeks ago. The tea stalls that were closed during the lockdown are back in business. People have begun sipping on piping hot tea at their favourite jaunts, albeit in disposable cups.
“For first couple of days, people didn’t turn up at my stall but soon the business picked up.
Those used to having hot cup of tea visit my stall in mornings and evenings. But I ensure that my customers keep proper social distance and don’t gather in large numbers,” said tea vendor Kiran Mahida, who was one of the proposers when PM Narendra Modi filed his nomination as candidate for Vadodara seat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Mahida even offers a special decoction of ginger, mint, black pepper, tulsi and cinnamon to his customers for boosting immunity in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
“We had a huge customer base before the lockdown which has now come down by half as many offices are still closed. But many of our customers have begun flocking my stall. They don’t eat any snacks but prefer to have tea,” said Chandresh Rajput, who runs a popular tea-stall near M S University in Sayajigunj.
Jayesh Parmar, who runs a tea-stall near Sayajibaug, said that after the lockdown ended, he began selling tea from his home before opening his stall. “Our customers are staying away from roadside snacks but thankfully they always stop by for our special mint-laced cup of tea. We expect the business to go up once Sayajibaug opens up as most of my customers are morning walkers,” Parmar told TOI.
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About the Author
Tushar Tere

Tushar Tere is an assistant editor. He writes on a range of subjects including crime, politics, sports, court, art, culture and heritage.

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