Hyderabad: Heavy fines and restrictions imposed by the traffic police in the city has led to scarcity of onions, fuelling a price rise, say onion traders.
According to traders, Hyderabad requires 50 truckloads of onions but the city markets are receiving not even half that amount due to restrictions imposed by the traffic police on the movement of trucks on account of the Metro Rail works besides the Rs 1,000 fine for violations.
They say the trucks carrying onions coming from Karnataka, Kurnool, Mahbubnagar and Maharashtra are being diverted to Sholapur to avoid the tough traffic rules imposed in the city, leading to shortage.
“Onion transporters are avoiding Mahbub Mansion market on account of these fresh restrictions, leading to shortage in city markets and rythu bazaars. If the onion market is shifted to Lakdaram village market near Patancheru, this problem can be overcome.
From here, onions can be supplied to city without any traffic problems,” said Ananth Reddy, president of the Hyderabad Onion Import Merchants’ Association. The association representatives also met minister for marketing Mukesh Goud and urged him to take the initiative for shifting the market. The minister assured them that he would take up the issue with the CM.