Indira Canteens are set to get wheels in Bengaluru with the launch of mobile canteens on 26 January 2018. The new version of the canteens is expected to be released by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad addressed a press meet on Thursday confirming that 24 mobile Indira Canteens will be launched in multiple wards of the city.
The mobile canteens will travel three times a day – for breakfast, lunch and dinner – and are to be stationed at specific spots across Bengaluru. The timings and menu will be similar to the existing Indira Canteens.
The Plan of Action
One of the main hurdles the BBMP has been facing when it comes to Indira Canteens is the lack of space to construct them. The civic body had to deal with a lot of resistance while building them in parks, playgrounds and near temples. Introducing canteens on wheels is seen as an attempt to overcome this difficulty. “The same amount which was sanctioned for constructing 24 Indira Canteens is now being used to procure tempo travelers for the mobile canteens,” said BS Prahalad, Chief Engineer, Indira Canteens, BBMP.
Suitable places have been identified and earmarked for mobile canteens across various wards. "Of the 24 mobile canteens, three will be in east zone, six in west, 10 in south zone, one in Mahadevapura, three in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and one in Bommanahalli," Manoj Rajan told The Times of India.
The BBMP has laid out a plan of action for the functioning of the canteens, right from stocking up food and water to designating parking slots across different wards. "We have placed an order for 24 tempo travellers from Force Motors. These vehicles will be modified to suit requirements. There will be in-built CCTV cameras and a GPS tracking device. A water tank and a slush collection system will also be put in place,” said BS Prahalad.
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