Mumbai Dabbawala Association has sought permission from the Maharashtra government to use the local trains to resume their services with full capacity an official said on Saturday. Local trains are currently running in a restricted manner, allowing only people employes in essential services to travel.
“Dabbawalas are also part of essential services are they deliver food to Mumbaikars. And since most officers are now functioning with reduced capacity, people have been asking us to deliver their meals,” Subhash Talekar, president of Mumbai Dabbawala Association said. He added that the meals are delivered by complying to all the COVID-19 safety norms by the dabbawalas on their cycles in the south Mumbai area. The association is also waiting for the financial assistance of Rs 5000 for each member from the state government.
Almost 5000 dabbawalas have been out of work since the COVID-19 outbreak. The association was helped by social organisations and volunteers in the last six months financially with most of them out of work.
