A wide array of eateries, lots of shopping, joy rides – as always the All India Industrial Exhibition in Hyderabad-Numaish, has something to keep every visitor engaged.With the start of 2017, Nampally Exhibition also starts and this year it completes 76 years, which is a big accomplishment in itself.

As you enter the exhibition this year, it ensures to surprise the visitors. The ticket fare is increased from ₹20 to ₹25 and no prizes for guessing, one can pay the ticket using card. The next turn is the stores displaying PAYTM and ‘Cards Accepted’ boards. Until last year purchasing things at exhibition and flipping a card would call for unwanted stares. Cashless transaction in Numaish is definitely a wow moment.

Most of the sellers are using Miswipe machines for cashless transactions. A vendor who sells crockery in kilograms tells Telugu360 “We got this swiping machine from a private vendor Miswipe. Most of us here are using machine from the same vendor”

Vendors with PoS machines are doing better than others, offering e-wallet options is of not much use. The empty stalls at Numaish reflects the impact of demonetisation. The 46-day long exhibition has more than 2500 stalls. Despite being prepared with digital payment facilities; the exhibition is experiencing decline in the number of customers. The crowd was seen increasing over the weekend but the sales did not improve.

A vendor who sells antique pieces says “My first sale happened now at 5:00pm today. The sales are very less” Window shopping is the default choice of most of the visitors. One can hear salespersons complaining that people are just looking at shops and walking away. Some sellers are trying to make their way through this drop in sales. The owner of ‘Kashmir Famous Jewelers’ tells Telugu360 “I’ve been putting up stalls for 25years now. This year the number of customers are very less. To get some profit if they are paying using card, I am informing the customers that I will charge extra” Not everyone has gone cashless. The sellers who don’t have a stall are accepting only cash. Here is a heads up, don’t flash 2000 note, we are not yet done with the change woes.

It is not just demonetization, but e-commerce which has impacted the stalls. The vendor who sells curtains tells Telugu360 “Online shopping has ruined us. The things they sell are different from what we sell. The quality is different. People come and tell me we saw it online for 500, now give it to us for 400. I said I can let them click pictures for 400” The state and central government’s departments have their stalls. Telangana Toursim and Arogya Sri stalls stand out for their unique design. If you are a government servant, don’t forget to visit the TSPO stall and buy handloom clothes.

Another attraction is the free wireless internet service for Reliance Jio Visitors who can enjoy high speed Wi-Fi connection. Ensure to try the Pista House Haleem which doesn’t taste the same as the one sold during Ramzan season.

Groom your bargaining skills as much as you can, especially with demonetization prices may look soaring. For every few meters one can find a policeman, a sweeper and purified water stand making it very comfortable and safe for its visitors. Apart from shopping, entertaining rides and a wide array of eateries, cultural shows, Exhibition has something to keep every visitor pleasantly engaged.