For the second consecutive day, Monday, October 27, 2025, Vijayawada’s rythu bazaars witnessed a significant increase in customer traffic. This surge comes as the NTR district braces for Cyclone Montha, with orange and red alerts signaling the likelihood of severe weather conditions from Monday through Wednesday.
Anticipating isolated instances of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the next three days, the NTR district administration had previously urged residents to stock up on essential supplies. Heeding this advice, many citizens began crowding the rythu bazaars on Sunday morning, keen to purchase enough vegetables to last for four days.
Karunakar, the Estate Officer at Patamata Rythu Bazaar, noted a remarkable spike in visitors. “Normally, we see about 12,000 to 15,000 customers daily, but on Sunday, that number soared to 20,000,” he explained. He attributed much of this bulk buying to school holidays in the district, meaning children are home, increasing household demand for fresh produce.
A similar scenario played out at the Rythu Bazaar on Sambasiva Murthy Road on Monday morning, with a large influx of shoppers. According to Estate Officer Srinivas Sastry, the cyclone warnings have undoubtedly sparked a sense of urgency among the public. This market also experienced a customer increase of about 30% above its usual volume.