On a side of BRTS Road near Padavalarevu Centre, a man in his forties sits on the black top with dozens of pairs of footwear spread in front of him. He manages to sell a few pairs every day to come back the next morning without fail, unless it is a rainy day.
For 43-year-old T. Venkateswara Rao, this is not his daily routine though he has been doing it since three months.
Mr. Rao used to teach mathematics to Class X students in three private schools of the city as a part-time teacher earning a small sum to feed his family of three children and wife.
The COVID pandemic that hit every person in one or other way has also brought Mr. Rao’s life to a standstill and forced him to take up selling footwear to make ends meet.
“With the schools shut, there was no source of income for me. Even permanent teachers in private schools are being paid in bits and pieces. Imagine the plight of part-time teachers who are also in large number,” he said.
“Income has stopped but bills don't. With no option, I had to turn a street vendor and sell chappals. As chappals are essential for every person I hoped it would give some returns at the end of the day,” he adds.
Asked why he chose to sell footwear on the road which is not an easy job for a teacher, Mr. Rao says, “I believe in the dignity of labour and every job and every profession needs to be respected. I have tried for work at courier services, delivery services and others, and realised nobody can recruit people now.”
“I have had the experience of working as a paper boy and a couple of other part-time jobs when I was young,” he says.
Though he knows that there is a long way ahead for normalcy to return, he still looks forward to it with hope, Mr. Rao says.
Mr. Rao says earning through selling chappals is not close to what he earns as a teacher, which is also a meagre income, but is sufficient to meet basic needs.
