Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy stepped in on Wednesday to overturn the closure of the popular street food stall run by social media sensation Kumari Aunty in the IT hub of Madhapur. The Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) department and the State DGP have been directed to allow the vendor to reopen her stall, just a day after the Raidurgam police ordered its closure.
The police had cited traffic congestion as the reason for shutting down Kumari Aunty’s food stall and urged her to relocate to ease the traffic situation in the IT sector stretch. The move sparked a wave of divided opinions on social media, with supporters of the street food vendor expressing their dismay over the decision.
Ganesh Patel, a Raidurgam traffic inspector, explained the police’s standpoint to The New Indian Express, stating, “She has not received any permit to run the stall. It is on a footpath, and many YouTubers visit the place to record videos. The stall has caused quite a congestion in the IT sector stretch.”
In response to the accusations, Kumari Aunty, also known as Sai Kumari, shared her perspective. According to her, she has been operating her food stall in the area for almost 13 years, serving IT professionals and daily wage workers. She also mentioned that she has advised her customers not to park their vehicles near her stall.
Kumari alleged that her business was singled out unfairly, as other food establishments on the same street were not subjected to the enforcement action. The traffic inspector explained that there are nearly 10 other food stalls in that area. However, the owners of those stalls have obtained a stay order from the high court, which is why the authorities have been unable to remove them.
Kumari Aunty, a social media star, gained fame for her delectable offerings, attracting not only local food vloggers but also film actors during their promotional visits. The popularity led to overcrowding and traffic jams in the vicinity of ITC Kohenur, prompting the police intervention.
The controversy took a political turn when the YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh alleged the involvement of Opposition leader Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena party chief Pawan Kalyan in the closure of the food stall. The YSRCP, on the social media platform X, claimed that the incident occurred after the Jagan Reddy government provided a house to Sai Kumari.
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