This is the first in series of a short research on studying lives of hawkers who sell wares (toys, books, vegetables, fruits, flowers etc) on trains in India. The study is from Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh.

1. FIELD NOTES
Team Gold Miners
Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh
Oct 1-5, 2012

2. Brief
In our field immersion we explore lives of hawkers who sell goods on trains, with a focus on
hawkers selling vegetables . Towns on the Bangalore-Chennai rail line were considered based
on the frequency of spotting hawkers on commuter trains in this section.
Early choices- Kuppam, Bangarapet & Jolarpettai Junction.
It is considered that these hawkers ply their trade in violation of Indian Railway’s rule against
hawking of goods on its property except licensed vendors who are authorized to sell food
and beverages.
Whereas, there are hawkers of wide variety of goods ranging from toys, flowers, books, DVDs
to vegetables and fruits. Turns out, that many bribe the railway officials to be able to carry on
their trade on trains.
We explore the basis of this criminalization of the hawkers trade by Indian Railways.

3. Hypothesis
Vegetable Hawkers on Train
Indian Railways Hawkers
CONTESTED SPACE

4. Place
Located on Bangalore-
Chennai railway line.
Chittoor district, AP
100 km from
Bangalore
Climate: Dry
Altitude: ~ 500 mts
above sea level
Agriculture: Rainfed,
horticulture produce

5. Work Environment – Hawkers on trains
A typical rail coach of a commuter A hawker selling toys and fancy wares
train in an off-rush hour. on a commuter train.

6. Kuppam Railway Station
4 commuter trains (express) & 2 A hawker packing vegetables on the
passenger trains stop at Kuppam daily platform, to sell in the evening train.

7. First Impressions
Most of the hawkers are very apprehensive about us following them or attempting to talk to
them.
Took 2 days to figure out their hawking pattern- trains they take, section of the rail route they
hawk in, where they live (which station) etc.
Observed that the hawkers are mainly women.
Felt Kuppam was a wrong choice to observe and engage with vegetable hawkers.
Moved to redefine our choice of hawkers, to include vegetable AND fruits and flower
hawkers.
Also, that we may have to travel further down the line till Jolarpettai Junction and observe.

8. Day 3 & 4
Turns out that many are apprehensive and even scared to talk to us because the railway
authorities have been vigilant over the past year. When they are caught, a case is filed
against the hawkers. And it has devastating financial and social consequences. ( Ex: One
flower hawker didn’t want to talk to us as she has a son studying M.Sc and her arrest will
have serious consequences on family income etc.)
This fear explained much of their apprehensions about us and those point blank questions on
“what do you want?”, “why are you following me?”
A flower seller finally thought of trusting us. Perhaps, because of a woman in our group.
She helps us with first genuine bits of information and quickly a whole network of hawkers
on the entire line becomes visible.

9. Status on Day 5
We have been doing daily trips on the commuter trains with Kuppam based vegetable
hawkers.
We start with the 6 am train towards Chennai and return with the 9.30 pm train to
Bangalore.
Kuppam is a typical small town , largely agrarian and with somewhat similar patterns of
youth migrating to nearest cities for work. Much of the migrants work in granite industry and
some others as construction workers.
One of our vegetable hawker is a former construction worker from Bangalore who finds it
easier to survive and support a family by living in Kuppam.
BUT, we are far from going to their homes! The association is better only in a sense that they
no more consider us a threat.

10. From farm to customer- Tracing the chain (1)
Vegetable mandi in Kuppam town. The Vegetables are laid out in baskets for
produce arrives mainly from small auction. Each basket is auctioned
farms in the region. separately.

11. From farm to customer- Tracing the chain (2)
Auction in process. The commission agent The hawkers bid for vegetables in this
makes a note of prices and buyer, as the mandi. They buy an avg of Rs 2000
vegetables are bought on loan. worth of vegetables every day.

12. From farm to customer- Tracing the chain (3)
Gangamma sits sorting, cleaning and Packed vegetables ready for the 5.30
packing the vegetables she bought pm train.
from auction in the morning.

13. Yet to be explored
We have had little luck with getting friendly with the hawkers, but we are sure it is only a
matter of time. Consequently, their personal lives is out of bounds at the moment.
We need to gain a critical understanding of the legal landscape w.r.t hawking on trains, Indian
Railways Act and right to livelihood aspects.
Kuppam is a fairly large town (w.r.t the idea of a village) and therefore public offices and
other processes are spread out wide. Access is taking time.
Local resources, agriculture and demographics are being explored.
In the remaining days, we hope to develop resources and economic map of the town.

14. BUT
we are yet to find our way into their lives…