Over 100 vans to sell cheap onions from Monday: Dikshit

Sheila-DikshitNew Delhi, Oct 26  Over a hundred mobile vans, covering 600 areas of the capital, will be selling onions at cheaper prices from Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said.

"In the last three days, vans have been deployed at various parts in Delhi to provide onions at Rs. 55 per kg. The number has gone up to 80 today (Saturday) and will be further increased to 125 from Monday," she said.

As per Dikshit, each van has been covering four areas in a day and therefore around 600 colonies will be covered.

In addition, a large number of counters have opened up outside Azadpur, Okhla, Ghazipur and Keshopur markets selling onions at cheaper prices.

The enforcement wing has been kept on alert to curb any attempt of hoarding onions.

Dikshit said that the prices of onions had "already come down and we hope that the trend would continue".

According to the chief minister, the arrival of onions from Rajasthan is picking up rapidly.

"The last three days the arrival has increased substantially from Rajasthan and the arrival from Karnataka and other states will help matters further. A team of officers have been deputed to Alwar (in Rajasthan) to purchase the onions in bulk," she said.

With the model code of conduct in place ahead of Dec 4 assembly poll, the Election Commission Friday gave permission to the Delhi government to sell onions from mobile vans at various sites.(IANS)