Curry points, tiffin centres mushroom in A S Rao Nagar

A S Rao Nagar: It would not be wrong to say that A S Rao Nagar is the hub for curry points in Secunderabad. There is a curry point every 30 metres and their number is only growing. 

Sociologist Prof Laxmi Narayan (retd) from University of Hyderabad attributes the trend to aged parents whose kids are abroad, both husband and wife becoming earning members, and late night shifts that leave them no time to cook. Lack of time and stress forces them to go for an easy option (curries point and tiffin centers) to get relief from hunger,” adds Prof Laxmi Narayan.

Such is the demand for curry points that between Sainathapuram to Anupuram stretch there are 10 curry points. The emergence of IT firms gave way to the trend of curry points as employees working in nightshifts cook rice but pick up curries from outside. Ritwik Ganguly, a Chemistry teacher says, “Many students who live in hostels too cook rice and depend on curry points for dal and sabzi.”

“Most working employees come to us in the night on their way to home. There is a decline in intake of home food as both wife and husband are employed and prefer to buy curries to make things easy at home. As these people are high salaried the mere rates of curries that amounts to Rs. 10 doesn’t matter to them,” said Anand, owner of Maheshwari curry point.

Another owner of Amrutha Curry point, said, “As the demand is more, the curry point business is good but at the same time the competition is high as there are two to three curry points in a single lane.”   Shredha, a software engineer said “As there is a decline in joint families it is difficult for single women to prepare dinner at home.” “My son got settled in Nagpur and we have no maid to cook for us,” said 56 year old Laxama, a resident.

Not just curry points, the tiffin centers are crowded in the morning hours. There are 8 tiffin centres within the stretch. Each tiffin center earning anywhere between Rs.10,000 to 30,000. Having breakfast at Ruchi foods at  A S Rao Nagar is a routine to Amulya, Software engineer. “I cannot afford to have tiffin at home as I need to start early to office,” she said.

BY Sushma Nagaraju