Lucknow to get more rain
BRISK BUSINESS Demand for tea, street food hots up
Lucknow also witnessed a fresh spell of showers on Thursday. The Met department predicted rains, thundershowers in Lucknow and adjoining areas on Friday.
LUCKNOW: The extended winter season has upped the sale of hot beverages and fast food in Lucknow.
With a dip in the day temperature due to showers, citizens are flocking to tea, coffee and snack stalls, especially during morning and evening hours.
Usually, the cold wave loses intensity by January end. But rain, chill and fog in February have come as a surprise for citizens this year.
Morning rain gave a bit of inconvenience to school and office-goers on Thursday.
As UP Board exams also began, students were seen rushing to their exam centres amid showers.
“Finally, there is some cold. Otherwise, the entire season went off smoothly,” said Bablu Shrivastava, a tea seller, who was doing brisk business after a fresh spell of rain.
“I had to ask my assistant to get extra kulhad,” he added.
“For the first time, people are seeking to have tea to battle the chill,” said Vimlesh Gupta, tea vendor near Ambedkar Park.
A street food vendor Santosh Kumar said: “It is also going to rain tomorrow. The cold wave in February has benefitted us…otherwise the season remained less fruitful for us.”
Vendors selling socks, caps and gloves are also the beneficiaries of this extended winter. “People did not buy much of winter wear this season. But the fresh spell of rain has come as a boon for our business,” said Pritam Gupta, who put up a makeshift stall in Gomti Nagar.
The weather also surprised locals as many were not expecting a dip in the temperature. “I have heard about dry winters and fog in Lucknow. But this time, it was just the opposite,” said Vivek Singh, a resident of Gomti Nagar.