Delhi govt to open 100 Atal canteens by end of year

Officials said the Delhi urban shelter improvement board (Dusib) has floated tenders for setting up the canteens at identified locations.

New Delhi: The government is set to open 100 Atal canteens across the city to serve meals at a subsidised rate of around ₹5, officials said on Saturday. The project, which will be launched in December, was announced as one of the flagship poll promises of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government earlier this year.

The project is modelled on the existing Atal canteens in Haryana (HT Archive)

Officials said the Delhi urban shelter improvement board (Dusib) has floated tenders for setting up the canteens at identified locations.

During a meeting last week, Dusib CEO Rupesh Kumar Thakur informed the chief secretary that requests for proposals (RFPs) have been issued for all 100 canteens and the implementation process will be carried out expeditiously. A dedicated Atal canteen branch has been constituted within DUSIB to work on key aspects such as construction and operation of the canteens.

The branch is tasked with designing the logo and signboards, identification of locations, design and construction of disposal centres, finalising the meals and rates. The branch will also select vendors and ensure roll out of the scheme as per the date decided by the government.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, during her budget speech earlier this year, had announced the plan to open highly subsidised canteens in slums and near major construction sites, with the goal of providing affordable and nutritious food to workers and underprivileged families.

“We will open 100 Atal canteens so that no one remains hungry in Delhi. Automatic machines like roti makers will be installed to provide food at construction sites and in slum clusters,” the CM had said in February.

The Atal canteens were a key election promise of the BJP during the February 2025 Assembly polls, aimed at reaching economically weaker sections. The CM, who also holds the finance portfolio, had earmarked ₹100 crore for 2025-26 for the project.

“The food will not be free but will be sold at a highly subsidised rate. The price has not been finalised yet, but as per initial plans, it could be around ₹5 per plate. The final decision will be taken after the authority’s approval,” an official said.

The concept is modelled on the existing Atal canteens in BJP-ruled Haryana, where the initiative has been credited with improving food security among low-income groups.