The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will soon set in motion its much-anticipated food-truck policy, which has been in the waiting for several years now. The idea behind initiating the project, the civic body said, is to provide employment opportunities to weaker sections, and promote hygienic food habits. These food trucks or mobile eateries will be stationed in the parts of the city with high footfall. For the unversed, Iqbal Singh Chahal, the municipal commissioner, gave the go-ahead for the creation of a thorough food truck policy in 2021. The initiative, however, ran into difficulties because it failed to materialize. The civic body has now settled the specifics after a break of more than a year.
In a letter to its seven zonal officials, BMC requested that they select locations from where these vehicles might be permitted to operate. There will be seven of these trucks working from each of its six to seven zones, bringing the total number of these vehicles to 50. However, one zone will have eight trucks operating from it.According to the officials, deputy municipal commissioners and ward officers will together finalise the places. However, all of the locations are not available as many are reserved for women’s self-help groups. There are currently food trucks operating in Mumbai, but officials have made it clear that they are not authorised by the law.Chirag Havelia, the director of Havelia Ventures Pvt Ltd, stated that the BMC should take suggestions from the people who are running the business. They are aware of the problems and obstacles that arise while running the business. In fact, he has even written letters to the BMC chief and CMO. Around 50 per cent of the workforce will be reserved for vulnerable groups like the specially-abled, economically weaker sections and self-help groups and NGOs run by women.