With prices of essential commodities going north, people are left with no option but to spend more.
@ymrconnect
With most of the essential commodities’ prices northbound, Bangaloreans, who already feel the heat due to the rise in temperature, have to spend more than what they spent last year to celebrate the Ugadi festival. According to Ramesh Chandra Lahoti, president of Wholesale Food Grains and Pulses Merchants Association, the prices of essential commodities like rice, wheat and toor dal have gone up by 15%.
“The prices of a bunch of neem leaves and mango leaves have been doubled. We used to get a bunch of mango and neem leaves for about Rs5 to Rs 6 last year. This year, we have to pay a minimum of `10 minimum,’’ said Savithri, a housewife.
Apart from Ugadi pachadi, a sweet and sour chutney made of ingredients like raw mango, tamarind, jaggery and neem flowers, people also prepare obbattu, a dessert for important occasions such as Ugadi. Those who have no time to prepare obbattu, availing the same from the bakeries and other shops will be ideal option. However, these bakeries and shops have also decided to increase the price of obbattus on par with the hike in prices of essential commodities. “We have to pay Rs5 to Rs6 for each obbatu. A few bakeries sell a pack of five obbattus for Rs40. The price of obbattu depends on the quality and brand of the respective bakery,’’ said Subramanya, a consumer.
The rise in essential commodities has made hotels to organise special food on the occasion of Ugadi. For example, Hallimane has increased the price of festival food to Rs250 as against Rs225 last year.
“We can accommodate 140 people at a time at our hotel. We offer parcel facility for those who can’t wait to have food at the hotel. Ugadi special food consists of 25 varieties,’’ said an employee of Hallimane.
Ugadi rush: KSRTC to operate 350 additional buses
Anticipating the Ugadi festival rush, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will be operating 350 additional buses for three days, starting today.
Passengers can book computerised reservation tickets in advance for these buses on www.ksrtc.in or by sending an SMS to 56767. The place and time of boarding/departures will be mentioned on the tickets for the convenience of the passengers.
The KSRTC has also extended a discount of 5% if four or more passengers make bookings under a single ticket and a discount of 10% on return tickets, if they are booked simultaneously.
The KSRTC has also made elaborate arrangements for operating an average of 300 to 350 extra buses exclusively for those planning a long weekend.
“Special buses will be operated from Bangalore Kempegowda Bus Station (Majestic) to Dharmastala, Kukke Subramanya Temple, Shimoga, Hassan, Mangalore, Coondapura, Shringeri, Horanadu, Davangere, Hubli, Dharwar, Belgaum, Bijapur, Gokarna, Sirsi, Karwar, Raichur, Gulbarga, Bellary, Koppala, Yadgir, Bidar and Thirupathi,” a release from the transport service said.
In addition, special buses will be added from JP Nagar, Jayanagar 4th Block and 9th Bock, Jalahalli Cross, Navarang Theatre-Rajajinagar, Malleshwaram 18th Cross, Vijayanagar, Ganganagara and other places. For those coming from Andhra Pradesh, KSRTC has added special arrangements from Shanthinagar.
All the premier special buses will be operated from Shanthinagar Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) Bus Stand to Madurai, Kumbakonam, Tirupati, Trichy, Chennai, Coimbatore, Tirupathi, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and other places in Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. Buses from Mysore Road bus station will be plying on Mysore, Hunsur, Piriyapatna, Virajpet, Kushalanagar, Mercara routes. Also, as many celebrate the festival on Sunday in Tamil Nadu, KSRTC has added buses for three days.
Traffic snarls expected ahead of Ugadi
Roads around Majestic are expected to experience heavy traffic jams on Wednesday in view of the Ugadi festival rush. City dwellers are presumed to leave to their hometowns to celebrate the festival the following day, resulting in snarls at the Kempe Gowda bus station and the City Railway Station on Wednesday, the traffic police said. In order to ensure smooth flow of traffic, a blanket ban has been imposed on vehicle parking at Dhanvanthri Road, Railway Station Road, Tank Bund Road, Platform Road and Khodays Junction throughout the day. In addition, idle parking of transport buses has been restricted to Balekai Mandi, Jakkarayanakere, NGEF Terminal and New Peenya Bus Station.
Roads to be avoided
The traffic police have advised motorists to avoid the following roads from 4pm to 11pm on Wednesday — KG Road, Goodshed Road, Sheshadri Road, Subedar Chattram Road, Platform Road, Krishna Floor Mill Road from 4 pm to 11 pm
Changes in bus departures
Buses heading towards Mysore, Kodagu, Kerala, Villapuram, Dharmapuri, Salem and Krishnagiri will depart only from Mysore Road Bus Station
Other buses to Tamil Nadu (KSRTC and SETC), including Chennai, Trichy, Karaikudi, Madurai and other places will depart from Shanthinagar Bus Station
Buses to Davanagere will depart from Chikka Lalbhagh Bus terminal
And buses to Shimoga will depart from Yeshwanthapur TTMC
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}