19 Best Roadside Business Ideas in India in 2023

If you want to start something unique then these roadside business ideas in India will help you to start the dream business you want. As we all know India has a 1.39 billion population and because of this many businesses have emerged and gained success on the roadside.

In the last 2 decades, roadside businesses have gained popularity and have contributed a lot to the GDP of the country through different business categories. To start a successful business on the roadside in India you need a proper strategy, location, and the right selection of an idea.

Several other factors are needed to start a business but here our focus is on the ideas for roadside businesses in India. So, let’s have a look at the best business ideas that you can use to start your business on roadsides in India.

Top 19 Roadside Business Ideas in India

1. Grocery Store

The most suitable business on the roadside in India is a grocery store. The goods you can sell on the roadside are household needs such as grains, flour, rice, buckets, cleaning products, etc.

For a successful grocery business, make sure you open in a roadside area. You can also choose a roadside area that is far from the main residential areas. Some suburban and alternative roads are good enough to open this business.

The location in the grocery store business plays an important role because the less competition you have the more it is better for you because you can capture a large customer base which ultimately contributes to your profit.

2. Culinary Franchise Business

Of course, there are many culinary franchise businesses that you go for. But remember that the income of the people in the areas near the roadside is not as high as the people in the city. If you want to be successful in a roadside area, you can choose a franchise that is cheap but hard to find. For example, take the fried chicken franchise.

The culinary franchise business is very profitable because you don’t have to work on brand and customer base. The existing franchise has already a name and customers in the market so you only need to set up it in a proper location.

On the roadside in India, there are so many options that you can choose but remember you should properly analyze the cost and pros and cons of the location to be safe from having losses in the future.

3. Salon and Barber Service

A suitable business option on the roadside is a salon, barber, or beauty service. In India, there is rarely a choice of beauty services on roadside areas. Many people who have the expertise to cut hair or makeup prefer to go to the city.

Because of this, your competitors will be few. If customers are looking for an alternative to a hairdresser, you can certainly be the first choice on the roadside in India because of this little competition.

It is one of the best business ideas because in modern times alone in India the salon business has shown a 50% of growth in the last 4 years. But it requires a good market plan to attract more customers. Salon and beauty professionals are in high demand because it has a huge customer base and the market is very wide.

4. Gas Station Business

On the roadside, access to fuel is usually provided by retailers. But if you open an official gas station, you can compete more easily. But in India gas station on the roadside is very common and the competition and capital needed for business are very high.

To open a gas station, it must be ensured that there are pumps and tools for easy distribution. As we all know for any business sales revenue should be more than expenses because in India the dealers get a 1 to 2% cut on the gas or fuel price so the more customer you have more revenue you can collect.

On a small scale, it is not suitable because the margin is low. It is a very profitable option on the roadside in India but you should need to set up it at the location where you get most customers.

5. Various Bill Payment Services

For payment needs, the people living near the roadside are certainly more difficult to meet. Government services are usually closer to city areas. If you open a service to pay bills for electricity, water, credit, internet, and many more, surely your business will be in great demand.

Opening a bill payment business is certainly better accompanied by other businesses. Starting from selling cell phones, selling credit and data packages, cell phone accessories, and even cell phone services, this can be a good side option.

It is an excellent business idea on the roadside as long you separate your business from your competitors. For that, you need to know how your competitors are attracting customers so that you can beat them to gain more customers. Adopt a healthy and safer strategy to capture the market around you.

6. Small Photocopying and Printing Business

Printing and photocopying are certainly very useful. Many schoolchildren and other students need this. Starting from photocopies of books, exam questions, and much more. The people on the roadside are also definitely limited to print needs such as photos, wedding invitations, posters, and others.

Instead of making consumers go to the city, you can open this business on the roadside near a residential area to make it more accessible. The profit in the business is very decent but the initial cost will be medium.

You need to buy photocopying machines, 2 or 3 laptops, and paper. Also, employee costs, electricity bills, and miscellaneous expenses should be taken care of. So, before you start this business on the roadside in India make sure you check the demand for the service in the area.

7. All-In-One Workshop

The next roadside business idea is an all-in-one workshop. On the roadside, vehicles are certainly available. But vehicles such as tractors and farming machines can also be a target for your business.

To accommodate all your motorized service needs, you just open a one-stop shop. Here you try to bring in handymen who are experts in motorcycles, cars, tractors, and other machines. If successful, consumers will come to your business a lot.

Automobile workshop has a great demand on the roadside because of the connectivity of the road. If you are planning to start an in-one workshop business then make sure you hire expert employees to gain customers’ trust.

8. Open Minimarket

Minimarket is a suitable business choice on the side of the highway. When people pass by and want to just buy a drink, snack, or look at discounted items, they will stop by. There are already many successful minimarket franchises in India.

If the reach of this minimarket can enter remote areas, surely people will take advantage of it. But remember these days minimarkets are facing huge competition due to large multinational companies and their franchises.

So, if you think that there is an existing business in the area that is working under a brand name then try to get a minimarket franchise that will beat the existing business.

9. Motorcycle Services

This is actually a business that is minimally risky and profitable because it is a service that sells, and again on the highway there will be people who have damaged bikes, so if you have the expertise of this business it will be very profitable, it can even be a source of livelihood.

You don’t need to be a mechanical engineer to start this business, if you have work experience then you can do this. Again location is important for this business as well because the more customer you can get the more will be your profit.

Also, you need to get a legal certificate to start a motorcycle business. After that advertise your services and continue to learn more and more to increase your experience.

10. Tire Patch Services

This business is the most capital-free and risk-free business that I can recommend! Imagine what the capital is. Even if there is maybe the biggest one at the beginning, namely buying a compressor, after that you only have gasoline to start the engine, and you can already get income.

It has a very long history. It has been around for as long as vehicles have. And as we all know there are a lot of vehicles on the road which means it has a large customer base.

It is straightforward and one of the most profitable roadside business ideas in India. It has a global market and is one of the largest expenses for the vehicle because it is the most important part of it.

11. Laundry Services

This business is suitable to be carried out anywhere as long as it is crowded, and the highway is busy with vehicles passing by, and the more people who see your laundry business, the more people will know about your business.

The profit margin in the laundry business is pretty decent and the cost on average ranges from 2 lahks to 5 lakh rupees because you have to buy good washing machines and other related equipment.

It is a profitable option in India and you need to select a location on a busy road near a city or a large residential area.

12. Selling Fruits

Fruits sold on the roadside have relatively more expensive prices than those sold in traditional markets, so there is nothing wrong with selling fruits because the results will be very good. For example, selling honey pineapple, durian fruit, watermelon, and others.

The fruits business has gained a success rate in the last 2 years because now people are becoming health conscious. They prefer organic products and want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

So, if you start a business of selling fruits on the roadside in India it will grow in no time because the customer can easily buy while traveling home from their workplaces.

13. Helmet or Motorcycle Jacket

Some people definitely need a helmet, especially if they want to travel long distances using a motorbike, and helmets also have a fairly large advantage, sellers usually take profits up to 30-60 thousand.

It is one of the best choices of business ideas on the roadside because of the increased number of motorbikes in India. Also, the government has made it compulsory to wear a helmet for the safety of bike riders. Thousands of helmets are sold every day and more and more entrepreneurs are coming into this business field.

So you need to analyze the demand of the people and add some additional features in the helmet so that not only it protects people but also gives them other benefits while traveling on the bike like taking a phone call, etc. Also, you can sell jackets to bike drivers.

14. Driving and Vehicle Accessories

Driving accessories that I mean here such as jackets, glasses, masks, and gloves, can also be combined with selling helmets. Also, you can sell body kits, car alarms, rims, and stereo systems.

You need to know what people are demanding so that you can list them on your business plan. Also, you need to find a good supplier who can provide you with the necessary accessories so that you can sell them to the customers.

In this business, you also need some expertise in installing those accessories in the vehicles. Because not all people know how to install them so hire someone that will do this for you or learn by yourself.

15. Car or Motorcycle Modification Workshop

A repair shop is one of the most sought-after businesses because if a vehicle breaks down, wants to be modified, or something else, the main goal is an accessories workshop that is close to the highway.

As we talked about earlier about the workshop, this one is quite different. Many people want to modify their vehicles to differentiate their cars or bikes from other similar vehicles so they modify them as per their style and tune.

For this purpose, you need a lot of experience because modifying the vehicles needs knowledge, skills, and years of experience. People even modify their brand-new vehicles so you need to know about modifying vehicles to avoid any damage to the customer’s vehicle.

16. School and Office Stationery

If your house is close to the highway, especially close to offices and schools, office employees and school children pass every day and what they need is school equipment and office equipment, then this business is suitable if you live in an office or school environment.

It is one of the best business ideas in India that you can also start on the roadside but the location should be appropriate as per the demand for the products. Most entrepreneurs start this business near college campuses, schools, and universities but if you have a strategic location that is on the roadside and also near the colleges then this is the right opportunity for you.

17. Car Washing and Detailing Services

As we all know there are many cars that we see running on highways in India. Some people are going home or some are going to work. So starting a car wash and detailing services could be a profitable idea because there are a large number of vehicles and people like their cars to be clean.

This business involved cleaning and maintaining the car’s appearance from both inside and outside. You can start a car wash business with water, soap, and other equipment that are needed to clean the car from the exterior. The main equipment in this business is pressure washers and foam guns.

On the other hand, detailing services need more equipment because inside the car there are various things that should be taken care of. Although this business idea is very profitable to start on highways in India.

18. Hotel and Restaurant Business

This type of this business is quite popular on the roadside in India because tourists and other people travel through highways and want a place to stay or just great food that makes this journey rememberable. If you have experience with hospitality then you should consider hotels and restaurants.

Hotels and restaurants come in several sizes, initially, you don’t need a 5-star hotel you build a comfortable space and make food for the customers who visit your business place. Remember you should have well-maintained rooms, bathrooms, 24 hours front desk service, and ACs.

You can offer many additional services along with this business such as laundry services, car rental, and tour packages. This type of business performs well on highways, so consider this business idea if you are planning a business on a roadside in India.

19. Samosa Business

Samosa is a very popular food in India and is often sold on the roadside. You can run this on a small scale but it will bring you promising benefits. The startup cost of the samosa business is quite low because you only need a deep fryer, potatoes, a knife, and some other things to make it.

Also, the advantage of this business is that it doesn’t require a large shop you can even run it on a small cart. Many people in India are earning a full-time income with this business but they included a few other snacks with samosas.

The demand for samosas is always on the rise because of their unique taste. So this small business opportunity can be a great option for you to start on a roadside in India.

Now you have read about many business ideas that can be started on the roadside in India. If you select any idea among these make sure you do a proper market and demand analysis to be successful and try to avoid high-competition business ideas in the beginning. I hope this was useful for you.