Small businesses bearing the brunt of flood fallout in Vijayawada

Of late, people having small businesses in Ajith Singh Nagar in Vijayawada are finding themselves sitting idle most of the time, waiting for customers.

Ever since they reopened the shutters of their shops after floodwater receded in their colonies, people expected their businesses to be normal once again. However, that has not been the case. Even small tea stalls are witnessing fewer customers in the flood-affected areas.

A tea-seller, who sells a cup of tea for ₹6 at a small stall under the Ajith Singh Nagar flyover, said though he sees a lot of people passing his stall in the morning and evening, very few stop by. “Earlier, 15 litre of milk was not sufficient for a day, but now even eight to nine litre is not getting over. It feels like we are just here to pass the time,” said the seller, who did not want to be named.

Nearby, a scrap dealer’s shop is filled with damaged goods, warped books and cartons. “Few of the scrap material are damaged beyond repair that they do not fetch any money,” said Srinu, who runs the shop in a rented space. His wife, meanwhile, goes for work as domestic help and gets paid ₹1,500.

“It’s been difficult for us. I borrowed ₹20,000 from a money lender on September 1. I have to give it back in three days, but since business is down, I could only manage ₹5,000 so far. Now I have to depend on my relatives to get the rest,” Mr. Srinu said.

While it is common for people to borrow money on daily, weekly or monthly basis from lenders, the slowdown in business has left many worried. Mr. Srinu explained that if a person borrows ₹1,000 in the morning, the person has to give it back with 10% interest by evening. Likewise if they take ₹10,000, they have to give it back with 20% interest, he added.

On the other hand, Rama Rao, who has a cycle store and sells spare parts, said while there was a crunch, he does not want to depend on unknown lenders since it is risky. “The lenders create a nuisance if we do not repay the amount on time. I have been running the shop for 32 years and I do not want to put my reputation at stake. The situation was not so dire even during the pandemic,” he said, adding that his family was thinking on how to overcome the crisis.

While the bike mechanics are doing a good business, the same is not the case with the cycle store. Many cycles are parked in front of Mr. Rama Rao’s shop. “People left them here and are yet to take them back. But, we also understand. In such difficult times, getting their bicycles repaired must be the last thing on their mind,” he said.

Both Srinu and Rama Rao’s houses are located on the ground floor, and were inundated during the floods. The two are are eligible to get ₹25,000 compensation from the State government. “I have incurred nearly ₹2 lakh loss, but at this moment, we cannot think if the amount is small or big, any monetary help is appreciated,” Mr. Rama Rao said.

Published - September 22, 2024 08:43 pm IST