A modern canteen that has facilities to cook and feed 1,500 people a day has been readied at the Medical College hospital.
The canteen, named Saras, will function round-the-clock and can at a time seat 80 persons.
The food prepared in the canteen here will be balanced and nutritious, to suit patients’ requirements.
It has a separate diet kitchen where rice gruel, oats, cornflakes, wheat dosa, and wheat upma will be prepared while the general kitchen will serve anything from Chinese, north Indian, and south Indian food.
The kitchen is fully automated with food processing machines and six deep freezers, which can hold huge quantities of vegetables and fish and poultry. There are five steamers and machines to prepare chapattis.
Separate areas have been earmarked in the building for dining, service, waiting besides eating areas for doctors, staff and students. The canteen is the refurbished building of the old House Surgeons’ quarters near the Super Speciality Block.
Hotel management graduates and experienced chefs have been hired for cooking and service. About 25 persons have been engaged for cleaning.
Aim of the canteen
The facility is part of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana and has utilised Rs.1.5 crore from the project. The aim is to deliver healthy, hygienically prepared food at pocket-friendly prices to the patients as well as all staff, and visitors to the MCH at all times. Food will be distributed through selected outlets located at OP complex and other selected locations.
The canteen is being operated and maintained by Lotus Food Plaza.
