Reliance to use UP Fresh outlets for specialty goods

Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail Ltd is likely to use some of its now defunct fruits and vegetables outlets in Uttar Pradesh into stores for other speciality goods.

According to sources, the company plans to convert at least 15 properties that were booked for Reliance Fresh outlets, into stores for footwear, apparel, jewellery, books and such other speciality items.

Most of these outlets are located in Ghaziabad and Noida. Company executives however would not comment.

Reliance Retail shut down its Reliance Fresh outlets across Uttar Pradesh after widespread protests by political groups and organisations of traders who said the stores had hurt small businesses.

Winding up its Reliance Fresh operations, the company is understood to have served lease annulment notices for about 150 properties that it had rented for the grocery stores.

Reliance Retail also plans to launch its first books, music and films store and another footwear store in the National Capital Region in December.

Meanwhile, in Bhopal today, former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Uma Bharati led protests against organised food retail stores and some protesters attacked a Reliance Fresh outlet there.

Members of here Bharatiya Janshakti party staged similar protests outside a Reliance Fresh store at Palasia Square in Indore.

According to a report from Bhopal, security was tightened in the state capital following the incident. But no case had been registered.