In the bustling railway stations of Telangana and amid the rush of daily commuters, local artisans and weavers, once overshadowed by the dominance of retailers, are finding their voices heard and their creations cherished. Thanks to the ‘One Station, One Product’ (OSOP) scheme initiated by the Indian Railways, a tapestry of opportunity has been woven, connecting the artisans’ exquisite handlooms with the hearts of countless passengers.
Iqra Begum of Aarunya Handlooms, a self-help group from Narayanapet, running the stall at the Secunderabad railway station, says, “Lakhs of passengers come to the station daily, and many visit our stall. The sale of handlooms per day is about 3,500, and the number goes up to 5,000 during festive occasions. We are really grateful for this opportunity, which is greatly helpful for our weavers.”
Earlier, weavers were totally dependent on retailers and unable to host such a huge market with marginal charges, says V.Praveen, a weaver of Chenetha Sahakara Sangam – Handlooms Cooperative Society, who runs a stall at the Nizamabad railway station. “But now, the Chenetha clothes are gaining favour with passengers. We are really thankful for such a scheme to provide a market to the underprivileged weavers,” he adds.
