Tent service rates jacked up by 50% ahead of polls

Candidates contesting Feb 8 elections get advance bookings

RAWALPINDI:

As the general elections are two weeks away, the tent services have increased the rent of multiple materials by 50 per cent for election offices, polling camps and venues of corner meetings across the district.

The booking of all tent services and their material has also been completed, The Express Tribune has learned.

Candidates have booked services for their electoral activities in advance.

Tent material includes screens, tents, tables, chairs, white sheets, mats and canopies.

A normal iron chair is being rented out for Rs150 per day, a better quality chair Rs200, a table Rs200, white sheet Rs150, while the canopy for the tent is being rented out for Rs300 per day.

As almost all candidates contenting the polls from the district have completed the bookings for their polling camps till a day before the polling day on February 8, the tent services have stopped further bookings.

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The election season has created a golden opportunity for big tent services and catering companies to make bucks from election-related orders.

A candidate has to set up 300 polling camps in the entire national constituency.

Candidates of every major political party and independent candidates will also establish polling camps in the same proportion.

To meet fresh demand, tent service shops have also issued new purchase orders for chairs and tables.

The business of the tent service sector has reached its peak since the announcement of the national elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2024.