CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation on Monday purchased three vehicles at a cost of `5.6 lakh each for the mobile Amma canteen project. Once remodeled, a van each will be deployed in three zones.
“We are awaiting approval for the design of the van from the Commissioner. They will look like any other basic food truck. Within 15 to 20 days, the trucks should be on the roads for the pilot project,” said an official from the Corporation.
The officials said they are working out on two possible modes of operations. “We are looking at setting up sales counters in hotspots where we can provide food at a nominal price to a lot of people. Enumeration has been done. So, the food will be transported from the canteens to these counters, where food will be sold. Second possibility is that a centralised kitchen would be set up for every 40 canteens and food will directly be sold in different places from the kitchen through the van. This way, we can cover more in a short time,” said a senior official.
This project is aimed at taking subsidised food to construction labourers and the homeless. Another move that the civic body is undertaking is relocation of some of the existing canteens. A total of 34 canteens have been identified to located within a very short distance. Also, about 70 canteens are found to be generating a revenue of not more than `1,000 per day. “Since we do not want to shut down any of the canteens, we will shift some to the hotspots,” said the official.
According to Corporation records, they incurred losses to the tune of `317 crore in the last three years and this move is expected to increase revenue.