For Their Service To The City, Mumbai's Dabbawalas To Soon Get Own Homes, Central Office
The dabbawalas of Mumbai have made a name for themselves not just in the city, but around the world for their efficiency at work.They have been part of the city's life for more than a century and continues to deliver hot home cooked meals to millions in the city every day.?
Their tiffin delivery system is so efficient that in 2010 the Harvard Business School graded their system as "Six Sigma", which means the dabbawalas make less than 3.4 mistakes per million transactions.While they deliver happiness in the lives of millions, for most of the dabbawalas, life has been a struggle.?
For the majority of them owning a house is still a distant dream, thanks to the sky-high property rates and space crunch in the city of dreams.Now, that is all set to change as the Maharashtra government has decided to build houses for them. The houses will be built under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).?
The decision was taken during a meeting that was chaired by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. He also ordered to build Mumbai Dabbawala Bhavan in the city.?
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana or PMAY scheme under which the houses are being planned to be given to the dabbawalas was launched in 2015 with the aim of providing housing for all in urban areas by the year 2022.Labour Minister Dilip Walse-Patil and other departments secretaries including MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) Vice President Milind Mhaiskar were also present in the meeting, which was also attended by a delegation of Mumbai's dabbawalas.?
To get their own low-cost houses has been a long-standing demand of the dabbawalas?
"It is good news. We thank Ajit Dada for taking such a decision. It will be really good for the dabbawalas. We welcome this decision," Subhash Talekar, operation head of Mumbai Dabbawala Association, said.?
There are around 5,000 lunchbox carriers in the city who charges around Rs 1000 a month from a customer to pick up and deliver home-cooked meals at their offices.The service which began in the 1890s is still thriving, despite an ever-increasing competition from food delivery apps.?
A large number of dabbawalas come from the Varkari community of Maharashtra. The dabbawalas work on a system of colour code which determines where the box is picked up, sorted and delivered. Once picked up from a home the dabba goes through six dabbawalas before it reaches the consumer. The same rule applies for its return trip.
