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MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS
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BICYCLE REPAIRING
In 1961, persons employed in this business numbered 649 out of whom 59 were in rural area and 590 in urban area.
With the growth of industrialization and its impact upon the cities and towns towards persistent urbanization the places of employment of the people spread far and wide from their residential quarters. Naturally, the bicycle became a popular, convenient and cheap means of transport to the common man. Wardha district is not an exception so far as this trend was concerned. Today bicycles are found in towns and big villages and even in the remote areas of the district. This has given rise to establishments dealing in bicycles and those hiring and repairing them. These shops not only repair cycles and hire them but also sell the spare parts and accessories required.
The investment in fixed capital in this business mainly consists in the purchase of bicycles, spare parts and other tools and equipment. The tools and equipment of a cycle repairing shop are spanners of various sizes, nuts, screws, cycle pumps, bearings, rims, tubes, tyres, scissors, articles required to remove puncture, etc. One or two benches, a table, chair and a petromax are also found in almost every cycle repairing shop.
The cost of the tools and equipment is found to vary between Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,200. In one of the shops of a very large size in the district Rs. 4,000 are invested by way of fixed capital. The number of cycles kept for hiring depends upon the size of the shop. Almost all of the shops are managed by the owners themselves, with the aid of family members. But in some big shops, about 3 to 4 outside workers are employed and they are paid Rs. 145 by way of wages. The investment by way of fixed capital ranges from Rs. 500 for a small shop to Rs. 40,000 for a big shop. In a majority of cases the capital was raised by the owners themselves.
Most of the shops are situated near the bazar or motor stand and opposite the railway station. They are located in rented premises and their rent ranges between Rs. 4 and Rs. 30 per month. The other charges paid by these shops are towards the use of electric power.
The net income of an average cycle shop varies between Rs. 100 and Rs. 450 per month. During the rainy season when commercial activities subside and agricultural activities begin the business of these shops shows a decline. During the rest of the year the shops are kept fairly busy.
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