Flowers, fruits prices soar ahead of Gowri-Ganesha festival in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: As the Gowri-Ganesha festival approaches this week, markets across Bengaluru are witnessing a sharp spike in the prices of flowers and fruits, driven by high festive demand and erratic supply in recent times.
On Sunday, jasmine touched Rs 3,800 per kg, with smaller quantities priced at Rs 40 for just 10 grams, one of the highest prices seen this season. Tube roses, which were being sold for Rs 120–Rs 150/kg in wholesale markets like KR Market, are now retailing at Rs 400/kg in areas such as Basavanagudi and Jayanagar, as reported by The New Indian Express.
Furthermore, fruits are also significantly costlier. Yelakki bananas are retailing at Rs 160 a kg, oranges at Rs 200, and apples at Rs 240-260, each priced at least Rs 30–Rs 40 more than earlier this week. Coconuts and other bananas, essential for puja rituals, are also dearer by at least Rs 40 per piece.
The price hike comes as transport disruptions and rainfall in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have reduced daily arrivals at city markets. “Truckloads of flowers usually come in daily, but the last few weeks have seen smaller quantities reaching Bengaluru. When supply tightens and demand peaks before festivals, rates shoot up,” TNIE quoted Mutthu M., a wholesale trader at KR Market, as saying.
Retailers further pointed out that they are compelled to pass on increased procurement and logistics costs to consumers, leaving little margin to cushion the impact.
Many families shopping over the weekend reported reducing the quantity of items or opting for cheaper alternatives, with some turning to online grocery apps to compare prices and find better deals.
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PM to lay stone of north India's first semiconductor unit, open Namo Bharat corridor in UP next week
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of north India's first semiconductor manufacturing unit in Gautam Buddh Nagar and inaugurate the Namo Bharat rapid rail corridor along with the Meerut Metro next week, marking major milestones in the state's infrastructure push.
Speaking in the Legislative Council during the Budget Session on Monday, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh today has "excellent connectivity by water, land and air", and highlighted the prime minister's upcoming engagements in the state.
He said the foundation stone of the semiconductor unit in Gautam Buddh Nagar would be laid on February 21, terming it a significant step towards making the state a hub for high-technology manufacturing.
On February 22, Modi will inaugurate the remaining stretches of the 82-km Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, connecting Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi with Modipuram in Meerut, he said.
Alongside, the 23-km Meerut Metro corridor with 13 stations will also be launched.
According to officials, the remaining sections include a 5-km stretch in Delhi between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar, and a 21-km stretch from Meerut South to Modipuram.
The 82-km corridor comprises key stations such as Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Muradnagar, Modinagar South, Modinagar North and Meerut South, forming the backbone of the regional rapid transit system connecting major residential, commercial and industrial clusters.
Recalling the pre-2017 situation, Adityanath said it earlier took around three hours to travel from Meerut to Delhi and even then security was not guaranteed.
"Today, the distance between Delhi and Meerut can be covered in about 45 minutes through the 12-lane highway, and with the rapid rail, it will be further streamlined," he said, adding that law and order had significantly improved.
Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh accounts for 55 per cent of the country's total expressway network and has the largest railway network in India. The state currently has a network of 22 expressways, of which seven are operational, five are under construction and work on 10 others is underway, he added.
He said metro services are running on six corridors in the state, and the Meerut corridor will be inaugurated by the prime minister on February 22.
Highlighting inland waterways, the chief minister said the Varanasi-Haldia waterway has been developed, with terminals at Ramnagar, Chandauli, Mirzapur and Ghazipur being upgraded.
He also said that when his government assumed office, only two airports were fully operational in the state and two were partially functional.
"Today, there are 16 airports in Uttar Pradesh, including four international airports, while the fifth international airport at Jewar is ready," he said, adding that efforts are on to take the project forward this month with the prime minister's participation.
The country's first Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub is also being established at Jewar, he added, underlining the state's emergence as a major connectivity and logistics hub.
