K. Santosh is a daily wage labourer. The 40-year-old leaves his home and stands near the clock tower labour joint, waiting for some work at 7.30 a.m. But if it weren't for Srinivas, who sets up a food stall near the place, Santosh would have gone to work on an empty stomach.
To look at it, the spot might seem like a normal food stall.
But it is where scores of labourers eat to their hearts content at anytime of the day. The reason: food here is priced between Rs.10 and Rs.15.
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The wafts of freshly cooked chicken fill the air. A plate filled with steaming hot rice and chicken curry is served to Santosh, who starts eating right away. But for Srinivas, the very deed of selling food at cheap price is because he wanted to serve daily wage labourers specifically.
“I have been selling food for cheap price since the last 10 years and it is because the labourers cannot afford to eat at tiffin centres or any other restaurant,” says Srinivas as he serves others waiting at the spot.
“It's just them who come here and I have consciously kept the rates low so that they can get a good meal for less price,” he says.
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A plate of lentils and rice is sold at Rs. 10, while egg rice and rice with chicken curry is available for Rs.15. While one would think what the quantity is like, Srinivas quickly shows the medium sized plates. “It's quite a bit. But I give extra servings of rice and lentils for Rs. 5,” he says.
Given to the quality of the food, those eating at the spot go back to have second or third servings.
“If I go to any other place, I would just get two idlis. But here, the quantity and quality of food is good and affordable,” says Krishna, a labourer, who earns Rs.150 a day.
Srinivas also sets up a food spot near Mahabub College during evenings. “The idea is to serve as many as I can. Though my food cart was confiscated, I still believe that I'm doing a good thing serving those who earn mere wages everyday,” he points out.