This Bellampalli tea stall will make you crave

IAS, IPS officers in the list of its customers to relish their choice of 'quality' tea

Mancherial: A majority of business establishments including several eateries at Caltex area in the coal belt town of Bellampalli were affected by the construction of a T-shaped flyover to ease traffic on the busy Mancherial-Asifabad route in 2015. A tiny tea stall in the same area, however, continues to grow, thanks to the matchless taste of the chai. This tea stall is a hangout spot for hundreds of people every day.

Located right under the flyover and near the closed railway gate, Krishna Tea Stall is a much sought after destination for tea lovers. The construction and closure of the gate did not impact sales as customers from the town and nearby areas continue to flock the stall. In fact, even the Covid-19 pandemic has had little effect on the sales.

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“I used to work at a tea stall run by a relative. Later, I established my own one in a single room way back in 1982. I sell about 3,000 cups of tea every day. District authorities including IAS and IPS officers, and commuters who pass through the town, visit the stall using the old road instead of the flyover and relish their choice of tea here. The secret is nothing but maintaining the quality,” Dande Krishna, the owner of the tea stall told ‘Telangana Today.’

One can savour the usual tea, ginger, lemon, green and black tea and badam milk at affordable prices at the pretty famous stall. “I learned the art of making tea during childhood. I can brew various tea in several flavours depending on the choice of the customer. I introduced certain varieties after tasting them at various stalls in major towns across the State,” said the 55-year-old tea-maker.

Son takes over the stall

His elder son, 22-year-old Venkatesh is currently operating the stall and is ensuring that the quality remains the same even as the stall nears its 40th anniversary. “I studied up to Class II and quit considering the huge demand in the stall. I am able to earn more than that of employees of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and major software firms and government organisations,” says the proud Venkatesh.

The tea stall has also created livelihood for four youngsters who help Venkatesh serve tea to customers, clean utensils and other small jobs. “I can become an entrepreneur given the experience I have of operating the stall, he added.

Rikkula Mahender Reddy, a native of Mancherial town, says he would never miss having a cup of tea at the popular stall whenever he visits Bellampalli and surrounding villages. “The taste of the tea here is unique, and I always make it a point to have a hot cuppa whenever I travel on this route,” he said.

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