At Alumpeedika Junction in Kollam stands a fully stocked almirah with no keys. It has meal packets, water, and a range of snacks easily accessible to the hungry and the needy.
Bhakshana Alamara, an initiative of the auto-taxi collective of the area, currently feeds several persons in and around the area every day. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we used to deliver food from a community kitchen to those in need. That time we realised that many people are in need of proper meals and we started off by collecting provisions for the community kitchen. The almirah was installed in 2021 and at present so many people from nearby areas depend on it,” says Anil Pulikkasseri, president of the collective.
The collective has less than 20 members. The autorickshaw-taxi workers started the initiative at a time when they too were struggling to bounce back after the COVID-19 lull. “Initially we were slightly doubtful about sustaining it, but the kind of public support we garnered was incredible,” he adds.
