The Indian Express 19.11.2013
MNC food chains may set up shop at BMC headquarters
The BMC might soon have international food chain outlets at its
headquarters at Fort, south Mumbai. In a bid to revamp its canteen, the
civic body has suggested setting up a food court and the administration
will soon invite tenders from various food chains such as KFC,
McDonalds, Cafe Coffee Day and Starbucks.
While the canteen provides food and tea at a subsidised rate,
employees as well as visitors to the civic headquarters will have to pay
more if the food court is set up.
“A food court will offer more variety. Both foreign outlets and
some popular city-based outlets will be invited to set up stalls,” said
Rahul Shewale, BMC standing committee chairman and Shiv Sena corporator.
The proposal, which has been mooted by Shewale, is in final
stages of approval from the civic administration. The BMC canteen offers
vada pav, idli, sabudana vada, upma, sev puri, sandwiches and gulab
jamun, among other dishes. Nearly a month ago, a proposal to get food
from the high-end Thacker’s restaurant in south Mumbai for standing
committee members during meetings was rejected by the administration.
Corporators from the standing committee meeting had said the food
provided during the meetings was ‘unhygienic’ and of low quality.
Shewale has now started paying for the food brought from Thacker’s restaurant during panel meets from his own pocket.
In September, the BMC had passed a proposal backed by Shiv Sena
youth wing president Aditya Thackeray to keep eateries and shops open
24X7 in the city. The proposal is now pending with the state government.
