CHANGING SOPORE MARKET – RESTURANTS, ONLINE GROCERY & TAKE AWAYS
Sopore was founded by Utpala an engineer and then irrigation minister Suyya during the rule of king Awantivarman, 880 Common Era. Also known as ‘Chhota London’ not because of the meandering Jhelum flowing through the town just like the river Thames flows through London but because the town in its entirety prospered like London. Gulam Nabi Bhat, a leading fruit business owner from Sopore Fruit Mandi, Asia’s largest fruit mandi reminisces the transformation of Sopore from ‘Chhota London’ to becoming the hub of separatist activities and now again becoming the hub of economic growth in North Kashmir. He remembers the aftermath of early 1990s when he used to go to Sopore Degree College for his undergraduate studies. He says that Sopore suffered an economic blockade due to the rise in separatist activities and local people started fearing venturing into new business activities. He brings out the change in the mind set of the ‘Soporians’ over the last three decades resurrecting the lost status of Sopore to ‘Chohta London’ again. Ghulam’s son Irfan is a leading restaurateur who hails the initiatives started by the youth of Sopore in making the apple town a leading economic conglomerate. He also says that Sopore town – the land of apples in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district has initiated its way towards resorting to the modern ways of marketing including online grocery and restaurant takeaways. One of its first online food and grocery app ‘Hyper Go’ was launched on 15th August 2022 to cater the needs of thousands of consumers. “Hyper Go” the complete delivery App is the brain child of two friends Suhail Qadri and Khawaja Itrit from Sopore. This is their second experiment after the grand success in Bandipora. As per the Khawaja Itrit own experience, the co-founder of this start-up app says that they had started the app firstly in Bandipora and after the overwhelming response along with the support and love from people they have now decided to take a step further and open the folds of online marketing and on the delivery services for the people of Sopore also. With various apps offering complete delivery services of grocery items as well as that from numerous food outlets, the people across the town can go online and can order their choices from food to other grocery items at home, achieving ease of business and providing modern shopping experience to the masses.‘Zero Miles – Grill & Café,’ another premium fast food restaurant owner, Jibran Khan also braces the occasion and is of the opinion that it’s a really great initiative where people from home can order their favourite food making Sopore at par with the leading cities of Kashmir and letting people enjoy the benefits of technological advancement alongside letting them come under folds of the future of world. The masses and restaurant owners have huge expectations and are predicting that food outlets will have flourishing business with more orders and customer satisfaction which in the long run will help in generating more employment and will contribute to the overall holistic development of the area and its people. New Light Group, Zero Miles, Manta Silva, Dee In, B&B and 10 Tables are some of the start-up restaurants who have taken their business online with more than 75% transactions predicted to go online by the year end. This approach will also help to curb corruption and save taxes. While throwing light on the achievement of Sopore town one must also appreciate the efforts of youth and locals and wish them good luck for the future. As Sopore is emerging as a business hub and with such initiatives, business will boost towards epitome of un-seen heights.
