Save us from bicycle thieves, dabbawalas tell Dy CM

It has driven the Mumbai Dabbawala Association to write a formal complaint to deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, asking for security for their cycles parked at railway stations

Mumbai Dabbawalas, a lifeline for the city’s office-goers who seek to eat nutritious home-cooked food every day, are in a quandary over a series of bicycle thefts. In three days, six cycles – vehicles of their livelihood -- have been stolen from outside railway stations.

The thefts took place between September 1 and 3, from outside Borivali, Nalasopara, Bhayander, Kandivli and Vile Parle stations (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

It has driven the Mumbai Dabbawala Association to write a formal complaint to deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, asking for security for their cycles parked at railway stations.

The thefts took place between September 1 and 3, from outside Borivali, Nalasopara, Bhayander, Kandivli and Vile Parle stations. “As these incidents occurred back-to-back, we filed a complaint with the respective railway stations. Our cycles are locked, despite which they have been stolen. Each cycle costs around ₹10,000, most purchased post-pandemic,” said Subhash Talekar, president, Mumbai Dabbawala Association.

Rohidas Shingote (46), who has been in the trade for 25 years, said he now uses his old rusty cycle after losing the new one. “I start collecting lunch boxes at around 8am and park my cycle outside Kandivli station around 10am. I go to Colaba, where I deliver and pick up the boxes. When I returned to Kandivli station at 4 pm on Friday, I found my vehicle missing. We then filed a complaint with the railway station,” said Shingote.

Kandivili railway officials have spotted three miscreants at work on the CCTV footage, but are yet to nab the culprits. “We will inform the complainant as soon as we get leads,” said a government railway protection officer.

Similar complaints have been made at other stations as well.

Baban Walunj, 71, who has been working since the ‘70s, said it was the first time that a series of thefts were observed. “We were jobless for two years during the pandemic. Our cycles are rusty and need repairs. We managed to buy new cycles on loan, and now these are also being stolen. Authorities have to help us,” said Walunj.

B V Bhosale, professor and head of sociology department, University of Mumbai, said, “Nowadays, with various delivery applications the competition for dabbawalas has increased. They need to upgrade to online facilities to survive and can also make use of electric bikes for delivery and safety.”

Hoping for a quick redressal from higher authorities, Talekar said, “Those who lost their cycles are still paying loans. This is a huge setback to their livelihood.”