Hyderabad: In a major relief to senior citizens and women visiting Numaish, the All India Industrial Exhibition Society (AIIES) is allowing people to drive into the grounds in cars or on bikes, albeit the relaxation will be until 3 pm.
“Carrying loads of stuff purchased from stalls to parking is a tough task. So on request of stall owners we are allowing cars and bikes inside the premises. In some cases, relaxation is extended to auto rickshaws too,” said AIIES, vice president, Ashwin Margam.
The exhibition society is allowing a car with four or more passengers without any vehicle entry charges. “If four persons purchased tickets we allow the vehicle in the exhibition,” says Ashwin Margam, adding the vehicle entry will be restricted 3 pm when the flow of regular evening crowds start.
Now Numaish is no more an evening time affair. As big shopping malls have come up in the city and people especially women got accustomed to making purchases during day when it is more convenient, traders point out.
“We have come from Uttar Pradesh. In evening as there is rush, people started coming in afternoon. Acknowledging the demand, we open the stall for public by 11.30 am and continue the business until the regular closure timings. The response is encouraging,” UP based trader, Arif Hussain, said.
The initiative of allowing vehicles into the ground drew appreciation from the traders. “During afternoon we get customers who come to purchase curtains, bed sheets and other stuff. The facility to allow vehicles into the grounds is a major relief to the public and offers more business to traders,” says Sultan Mirza, a trader from Kolkata.