Noida: Community kitchen opened at Sector 49 for labourers

People willing to distribute food or contribute on their special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, or death anniversaries can also join in and distribute food

NOIDA: The Noida authority in association with Iskcon temple has kick-started community kitchen service at Sector 49 Labour Chowk -- a place where daily wage labourers assemble to be hired by prospective clients in Noida.

The facility, currently offering free of cost meals, is intended at ensuring that the poor construction workers and other daily-wagers have access to quality food at minimal rate. (HT Photo)

The facility, currently offering free of cost meals, is intended at ensuring that the poor construction workers and other daily-wagers have access to quality food at minimal rate. Similar facilities are also set to come up at different places under the Noida authority’s jurisdiction in the coming days, officials informed.

At the Sector 49 facility, people willing to distribute food or contribute on their special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, or death anniversaries can also join in and distribute food, informed officials.

“This community kitchen was inaugurated recently at Sector 49 Labour Chowk where 488 labourers, daily wagers were given free meal. To improvise the facility in the coming days, feedback was also taken from the daily wagers present at the spot. People are happy and have praised us for providing them good quality food,” said chief executive officer (Noida authority) Lokesh M.

According to the information from Noida authority, the facility at Sector 49 Labour Chowk, and many others to be developed on the same lines in Noida, will be open to residents of Noida to make any contribution and provide food to the under-privileged people.

“As of now, we have been providing the food free of cost, and based on the feedback and response from the workers, labourers, we will take a call on other things including rates of the plate,” said deputy general manager (civil), Noida authority, SP Singh.

“A single plate is likely to cost just ₹10 and the menu will include aalu sabzi, puri, halwa, khichdi, chola-rice, among other food varieties to be served at one time in the morning. Ever since the service commenced, around 500-600 labourers have been eating food at the facility every day”, added Singh.

To be sure, there are around 10-12 Labour Chowks located in Noida that include places like Harola, Sector 57, Sector 63, Parthala, among other places. At Sector 49 Labour Chowk, around 1,000 daily wagers arrive per day on an average, officials informed.

The labourers had earlier urged the Noida authority that a covered sitting space was required and the existing public convenience was not adequate. Hence, officials were directed to take up some of the works at the earliest.

Subsequently, providing food at reasonable rates, road repairing/resurfacing works opposite Sector 48, fixing of dilapidated footpaths at the DSC Road opposite to the petrol pump, and construction of cemented ramps over big drains in the area, were among other instructions issued to the officials concerned, HT had reported.