Flowerpot seller left high and dry by rail project

The family has not seen Rs. 500 since two-three months.

By Anoushka Sawhney

Hidden behind large boards with ‘Delhi-Meerut RRTS’ written on them, and machines on

Roorkee Road, Meerut, is a small flowerpot shop. Every morning, 30-year-old Preeti, owner

of the shop, eagerly awaits customers with a smile. These days, her smile fades as the day

wears on.

Due to the metro work, the number of customers has decreased. Preeti said that earlier at least

five to seven persons used to come but now only one or two persons come in a day.

Preeti is the breadwinner of the family. She has two boys, who are 11 and seven, and a five-

year-old girl.

Inside the shop, the wares kept on display hides the dampness on the walls. The shop has

plastic pots, cement pots, mud pots, idols, diyas, etc.

Preeti said that in a day she either makes a profit of 50 rupees or none at all.

“How will I survive with Rs. 50?”

“Sometimes, when there is no vegetable, I ask my children to just have tea and rusk and

sleep,” Preeti said.

The Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System is an 82.15 km rail corridor, which is under

construction since 2019. Shops on the route have been asked to shift back. This requires

construction, for which Preeti lacks resources and support.

“Before Diwali, water came inside the shop and all my material worth Rs. 1-1.5 lakh was

damaged. We could not recover from the loss afterwards.”

Sometimes, the water reaches the knee level, Preeti said. “My kids and I fill water in boxes

and throw it outside.”

“Just to ensure my life goes on, I sell the pots for Rs. 70-80, even if the price is Rs. 100,”

Preeti said.

This shop is Preeti’s only source of livelihood, which is gravely affected due to the COVID-

19 pandemic and the ongoing metro work.

“I don’t know how we will live on. The future appears dark,” Preeti said.