OMG! Stand in 2-km queue to get 1 kg onions!

Tirupati: Short supply of onions resulted in skyrocketing of prices for almost a month now. Top grade onions which used to be sold at Rs 20-30 per kg have now touched Rs 150 per kg mark. It is reported that in some places it even touched Rs 200!

Though the government has been making efforts to sell onions at subsidised price of Rs 25, it has been only at a few select places resulting in queues of over 2-km long to get one kg of onions.

Denizens of Tirupati town woke up hurriedly on Sunday and along with children rushed to the nearest Rythu Bazar trying to be ahead of others in the queue though the sale of onions was to start at 9 am! If a family had three members all the three holding Aadhaar cards in hand were seen standing in the queues.

Even as the sales started, there was no end to the queue which went on growing in length. Even people from nearby villages made beeline to get at least one kg of onions. As the crowd started growing, the police had tough time making arrangements to see that no untoward incident takes place.

With every passing hour, people started losing their patience. They gave vent to their anger saying, "What is the government doing? They made people suffer for sand and now for onions.

How long these woes will continue? Is the government awake and working?", they were asking. They said only two counters were set up to sell onions and this was resulting in long queues.

If they wanted to sell onions at subsidised prices, they should have opened special counters in some open grounds. The government could have even used rations shops to sell subsidised onions, they added.

As the sales closed, many had to go back disappointed for not being able to get even one kg after standing in the queues for more than three hours.