Indira Canteen was started in 2017 by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) with the aim of providing affordable, good quality food to citizens in all walks of life. Now, five years later, unlike the situation in most such canteens, Indira Canteen in the Dharmarayaswamy temple ward furthers that objective by serving at least 2,500-3,000 meals a day to hungry customers. This comes amid lack of adequate funding and alleged poor management by the government.
In 2017, by selling over 3,000 meals a day, the place set the record for the highest number of meals served in a day among all Indira Canteens. According to the cashier in the canteen, today it sells 1,350 plates of breakfast, 1,200 plates of lunch and 500-600 plates of dinner. He says that whenever there is idli for breakfast, more people reach the canteen. For lunch, most of them prefer white rice and sambar/rasam as compared to other forms of rice.
popular dishes
“The most popular combo here is Upma and Kesari Snan. Since it tastes similar to the cuisine prepared in hotels, it is thoroughly enjoyed by our customers. Here, we usually don’t get much feedback about the taste as most of the people who come here are already hungry and eating here is their routine. But seldom, some come and praise us for the food”, explained the cashier Hindu,
Regulars in the canteen agree. But some of them have their own personal favorite dishes. “They make great casserole here. I have been to several Indira Canteens across the city over the years. I have been coming to this branch since 22 days as my mother is admitted in Victoria Hospital. The food has been consistently delicious”, said BMTC bus driver Harsha.
key to success
The location of the canteen plays an important role in its success. Located right inside the KR Market bus stop, this market is easily accessible to vendors and vendors, staff from Victoria and Vani Vilas Hospitals, attendants, students from nearby educational institutions, bus drivers and conductors and the floating crowd . Which is made up of shopkeepers and tourists. For them, this is the most convenient, economical option.
“I work at a dry fruits shop inside the market. I have been coming to this canteen for five years and I have no complaints about the food. I eat my breakfast and lunch here at an expense of only ₹15 a day”, said Salim, who was having lunch in the canteen.
The presence of BBMP marshals in uniform for women gives a sense of security to eat here. “I have been here many times before and today, I am here shopping with my sister. KR Market is a very crowded place, but here we can find at least a small private place where we can eat in peace. Also, I feel very safe here as it is never empty. It is better than hotels and the quality of food has always been great”, said Preeti, a college student.
The inauguration of the first Indira Canteen at Jayanagar took place on August 16, 2017. Photo Credit: K.K. Murli Kumar
first one
Indira Canteen at Kanakanapalya in Jayanagar, South Bengaluru, the first canteen started by the government, was inaugurated on 16 August by the then Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and is visited by a lot of consumers every day.
The Hindu visited the canteen and saw many people eating in the canteen as the quality of the food was good. “This canteen is seeing a good number of people every day; Around 150 to 200 people come here to eat,” said a canteen cashier. Hindu,
But customers say that there is no drinking water facility in the canteen and there are complaints related to cleanliness. A cab driver who serves lunch daily at this canteen said, “The quality of the food is very good and it is delicious, but there is an issue of drinking water facility and sanitation should also improve.”