Covid impact:Those who fed Chandigarh’s needy now struggle to earn two square meals

Hundreds of street food vendors, tiffin walas, dhabas and tandoors are struggling to keep their kitchen fires running in the wake of huge losses amid the Covid-19 lockdown

There was a time when this roadside ‘tandoor’ based out of Sector 37, Chandigarh, used to feed hundreds of people. Now, after over 50 days of lockdown, 60-year-old Ramlal and his 35-year-old son Vikas Kumar who run the eatery are themselves deprived of food.

Migrant workers at these eateries have also been out of jobs in the wake of closure of the businesses due to the curfew in Chandigarh. (HT Photo)

“Hum toh dusron ko khilate the, kabhi socha nahin tha ki khud do waqt ki roti khane ko nahin milegi (we used to feed others; never thought we would be deprived of two meals a day),” said Kumar with tears of helplessness. “All my savings are depleted. My son had just started school, my mother, brothers and wife are dependent on me.”

“Lagta hai ki ye ek sapna hai, yakeen nahi hota ki pichle do mahine se hum berozgaar hain (all this seems like a nightmare, I can’t believe that I am unemployed for the last two months),” he sobbed.

Hundreds of such street food vendors, tiffin walas, dhabas and tandoors are struggling to keep their kitchen fires running in the wake of huge losses amid the lockdown.

‘MAY CHANGE PROFESSION’

Ravinder Kumar, a 44-year-old man running a tiffin service in the city for over 12 years, is now thinking of selling vegetables and fruits. “With zero income for the last two months, I am rethinking whether to continue the tiffin services. Even if they let us open, most of my customers are students who are not coming back anytime soon,” he said.

MIGRANTS WORKING AS HELPERS LEFT JOBLESS

Many of the migrants, who were working in these city dhabas and restaurants, are now waiting to board the Shramik Special trains back home as they have no work or source of income.

Ram Manohar, who worked as a cook at a dhaba in Sector 15, said, “Our malik (owner) used to give us Rs 200-300 to buy ration every week. Instead of cooking for the dhaba, we used to cook for ourselves. Somehow we have survived for 50 days, but now even our owner has stopped giving us allowances.”

“Help us get a train back to Uttar Pradesh,” pleaded Manohar in desperation.

NOT IN A POSITION TO REOPEN

Even if the lockdown was eased, 54-year-old Narinder Singh, running a tandoor near the Sector 19 gurdwara, said, “I am not in a position to reopen after incurring such huge losses. Our business has been closed since December because the UT administration refused to give us a permit. Later, in March, when we got the permission, the lockdown was announced. It has been over six months that we are struggling and we might not be able to reopen.”

“My daughter was supposed to get married this year. My son was to complete his graduation. All our savings are depleted now,” he said.

It’s a matter of survival for this tandoor in Sector 23-D running since 1959. Sardari Lal, an 80-year-old man who ran this roadside food facility for the poor, students and outsiders, said he had never seen such a situation where he had to close business for two months. “Ab hamara bhavishya ishwar ke upper hai (now, our future is in God’s hands),” he said.