Coronavirus | Lockdown robs Mumbai’s dabbawalas of lunch

As thousands switch to working from home, the iconic deliverymen have lost their livelihood.

Dabbawalas in south Mumbai before the lockdown. Vivek Bendre

Less than a month ago, they ensured that home-cooked food reached thousands everyday on the dot across this bustling megapolis. Yet, today the iconic dabbawalas of Mumbai are staring at starvation as the 21-day nationwide lockdown has left them without a livelihood.

On March 19, the dabbawalas , who have been an integral part of the city’s history for more than a century, had announced that they would be suspending services in light of the coronavirus crisis. Less than a week later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the complete lockdown.

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With almost all workplaces switching to work-from-home, there is now no demand for their services.

“We are facing an unprecedented situation for the first time in the 130 years that we have been operational. If we have no customers, we have no earnings. Our stomachs depend on the stomachs of our customers,” said Ulhas Muke, president of the Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Trust.

Depending on how far a tiffin box had to be delivered, a

dabbawala could earn between ₹13,000 to ₹15,000 a month.

“This amount, along with whatever our spouses could earn, had to suffice for all expenses, including house rent, children’s education and other expenditure, including emergencies,” Vinod Shete, spokesperson of the Trust said.

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“A lot of us hail from Pune and nearby areas; about half of us managed to return just before the lockdown. The rest are stuck in Mumbai, unable to arrange for two meals a day,” he added.

The dabbawalas’ predicament is exacerbated by the fact that many of their wives, who worked as cooks or domestic help, have also been laid off due to the need for minimal outside contact and social distancing with the virus outbreak.

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The dabbawalas have now approached charitable trusts and institutions they once visited as guest lecturers to speak about supply chain management, for help. On Thursday, they also sent out a WhatsApp SOS. “There are 5,000 of us and we have always enjoyed a wonderful relationship with this city. We are not expecting much but every small effort counts in times of crisis and this city always takes care of its own,” Mr. Shete said.