‘Museum Mein Rakho Isko’: Internet Baffled After Pani Puri Sold For Rs 333 At Mumbai Airport; Viral Post

Pani Puri, a beloved street food, holds a special place in the hearts of Desis, who cherish the experience of savoring it roadside. Despite attempts to enjoy it at fancy eateries, the magic of ‘thele wale bhaiya’s’ creations remains unmatched. But have you ever imagined indulging in Panipuri at an airport? Well, at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMI), this dream becomes a reality. However, the hefty price tag attached to this beloved snack at the airport, nearly ten times higher than its street counterpart, can be a bitter pill to swallow. The exorbitant price at the Mumbai Airport has sparked outrage and disbelief among food enthusiasts and social media users.

The typical cost of Pani Puri at a restaurant ranges from Rs 150 to Rs 200, depending on the location. However, the staggering price of Rs 333 for a plate of Pani Puri at the Mumbai airport has left many in shock.

Entrepreneur Kaushik Mukherjee, the co-founder and COO of Sugar Cosmetics, recently encountered this jaw-dropping price tag and felt compelled to share his experience on social media. His post, featuring a picture of popular street food dishes like dahi puri, paani puri, and sev puri, each containing 8 pieces priced at Rs 333, quickly went viral.

Real estate is expensive for food stalls at the CSIA Mumbai airport – but I didn’t know THIS expensive pic.twitter.com/JRFMw3unLu

— Kaushik Mukherjee (@kaushikmkj) April 29, 2024

Mukherjee’s post has garnered significant attention online, with netizens expressing their disbelief and frustration over the exorbitant pricing of a beloved Indian snack. The incident has sparked discussions on social media platforms, highlighting the stark difference in pricing between street vendors and airport establishments. Meanwhile, others applied some logic to the situation and argued that since food outlets have to pay such huge rent amounts to keep shops open inside the airport, they would have to sell products at such a high cost.

One user explained, “System drives the price points . Its airport share, maintenance charges, operation, utilities bills, salaries, at the end the shop will make only 33 rs out of 333.” Another commenter noted, “Considering branded restaurant offering the same golgappas at the rate of 100-120, not the bad pricing at airport.” While someone people wondered if the pani puri is imported to be sold at such prices, others joked that the pani puri should be kept in a museum.