U.P.: Rly sets up two stalls for Lucknow’s chikan art at Charbagh station

The initiative is a part of railways ‘One Station One Product’ scheme under which such stalls have been set up at 19 railway stations of Lucknow and Varanasi divisions

Now people visiting Charbagh railway station in the state capital will be able to buy Chikan items of their choice too. Reason: The Indian Railways has set up two stalls there for selling such items under its ‘One Station One Product’ scheme.

A chikan items stall set up at Charbagh railway station in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. (HT photo)

The scheme, the aim of which is to provide a market to local artisans, is being currently implemented as a pilot project at 19 railway stations of Lucknow and Varanasi divisions of Uttar Pradesh. According to the railway, the objective of the project is to encourage local artisans, popularise local art and also to generate more employment opportunities for these artisans.

There is a range of chikan items, including kurti, suits, dupattas, handbags, sarees etc with a price varying from product to product. “Around 50% of these products have been bought from Aminabad while the rest has been bought from the 50 local artisans we are associated with,” said Salauddin Siddiqui, the owners of a stall situated at the main waiting area of the station.

Although there are numerous myths about the origin of Chikankari, the credit for introducing chikan to India goes to Noor Jahan, the Mughal empress and Jahangir’s wife.

Stalls allotted for 3 months

Each seller is given space for three months after which the space is transferred to another seller and the vendors must pay a token fee of ₹6,000 excluding electricity bill which is to be borne by the owner while the railways is responsible for the infrastructure expenditure.

“There is a limit of two salesmen every shift and they must be properly dressed and have their supplied identity cards with them,” said Rekha Sharma, senior divisional commercial manager, Lucknow.

Hardly any customers, courtesy winter

“Due to winter, the sale of our chikan items is quite low as they are summer wear. Also, we’re given stalls only for three months which is not enough. It should be allotted to us at least for a year,” said Munna. The other stall owner Siddiqui said the location of his stall was such that passengers hardly noticed it.