CHENNAI: One month since its launch, the free meal scheme for cleaniless workers in Chennai has seen good response but gaps in food quality and distribution are becoming evident.
The scheme was rolled out to serve around 29,455 sanitary workers across all 15 zones of the city with meals in two tiffin boxes, which they can either consume at designated points or carry with them.
While the initiative has been welcomed as a welfare measure, workers and councillors point out inconsistent food quality and delays in delivery, particularly during lunch hours. Several workers told DT Next that food quality has not been uniform. Complaints range from excessive use of spices to food being inadequately cooked.
“Sambar rice has never been great. Sometimes there is too much turmeric or spice and elderly workers find it difficult to eat,” said a worker from the Kodambakkam zone. Side dishes such as potato or raw banana poriyal are also often cited.
“Most of the time it comes half-cooked and is difficult to digest. To protect our health, we sometimes throw it away,” another worker said, adding that a monthly allowance would be more useful than cooked meals.
Ward councillors, including those from the ruling DMK, acknowledged receiving similar feedback. Ward 195 Councillor K Ekambaram said the quality had improved compared to the initial days. Ward 42 councillor Renuka echoed this view, saying some improvements were visible.
However, concerns persist. Another DMK councillor, piped in: “I’ve personally seen workers throw the food away because it’s undercooked. There are complaints, but many are unable to say it openly,” the councillor said.
A single contractor handles cooking for all 200 wards, with food prepared at around three kitchens located in Ambattur, Sholinganallur and Gopalapuram. The meals are transported in vans, with each vehicle covering around 5 wards. The meals are prepared and supplied through a centralised system at over 400 locations, including ward and zonal offices.
This distribution model has drawn sharper criticism, particularly from councillors in North Chennai. While some wards receive food on time, others report delays. In Ward 172 on Five Furlong Road, lunch arrives around 12.30 pm, allowing first-shift workers to eat before dispersing. In contrast, in Ward 98, the food truck arrived only after 2 pm.
“Sometimes it comes as late as 3 pm,” said a driver involved in food distribution in the Manali zone.
According to Corporation data, around 22,886 workers receive lunch, while about 5,000 are covered under breakfast and 1,400 under dinner. Union representatives stated that the centralised cooking arrangement made it difficult to align delivery with shift timings. P Srinivasalu, general secretary, Madras Corporation Red Flag Union, said, “Lunch is often served only by mid-afternoon and that night meals are also delayed.”
Delays have also affected workers’ schedules. A worker said that earlier they could leave immediately after completing their shift. “Now, we’re forced to wait for 30-60 minutes. We fear that staying back could lead to additional work being assigned, so we leave early,” the worker rued.
J John, AIADMK councillor from Ward 84, said food quality concerns have been raised during zonal committee meetings. Councillors from North Chennai also pointed out that distance from cooking centres had compounded delays. “Since the main preparation kitchen is in Ambattur, it takes time to reach northern wards,” Renuka said.
Several councillors have demanded zonal level cooking as a way to address both quality and timing issues, saying decentralisation would help stabilise the scheme.