Chennai to get more Amma canteens

Food was served free to mark the swearing-in of Jayalalithaa

With many of the 45 new Amma canteens starting trial run on Saturday, the Chennai Corporation is expected to open them on Sunday.

The number of visitors to the existing 207 canteens also increased in most of the 15 zones in the city on Saturday. Visitors from other parts of the State tasted food in the canteens.

The Corporation announced free delivery of food services as part of the celebrations to mark the swearing-in of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

One of the canteens that started its trial run on Saturday, in Ward 91 on Reddipalayam Road in Ambattur, was constructed six months ago. “Labourers in the industrial area and migrants from north India are expected to visit the canteen regularly. Over 100 residents were permitted to have food on a trial basis,” said a Corporation councillor.

Many of the new Amma canteens were constructed in areas not served by existing canteens.

“The supply of sweets attracted a large number of people to Amma canteen,” said M. Pandian, corporation councillor.

The previous phase of inauguration of Amma canteens was launched in September 2014. Ms. Jayalalithaa declared open four canteens, increasing the number of such canteens in the city to 207. Last time, Ms. Jayalalithaa visited the Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, Triplicane, to inaugurate one of the new canteens. The inauguration on Sunday is expected to be through video conferencing. In a bid to emulate the welfare model, officials from other States and countries visited Amma canteens in the past few years.