Chandra Kumar, a migrant construction worker from Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, along with his two children and wife, work in various construction sites in and around Arekere in South Bengaluru. They depended on the Indira Canteen in Ward 186 for the last five months for their two meals as the canteen provides food at subsidised rates. Today, they say, the quality and quantity have come down drastically. They have noticed this over the last one year.
Paramesh, a food delivery person who has his afternoon meals at the canteen daily after his hectic job, says that food was good earlier, but now, the quality is not great. “But what to do? We earn very little, and we can't afford to eat in Darshini hotels as it costs ₹55 for just rice and sambar there. In Indira canteen, it is just ₹10 a plate,” he said, while adding that the government has to give more importance to the canteen food quality and hygiene.
The canteen workers say quality has dipped because the contractors have started giving tasteless food as the popularity of the canteens has reduced, leading to losses. But the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) insists the canteen is running successfully.
