BBMP will appoint officers to check the food quality at the Indira canteens and a helpline will also be set up for residents to report their complaints
The municipal corporation will appoint officers to check the food quality at Indira Canteens, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) chief commissioner Tushar Girinath said, adding that a helpline will also be set up for residents to report their complaints about the services at the mess.

According to Girinath, the directions have been issued after a visit by deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. “The deputy CM gave some instructions after visiting and inspecting the Indira canteens on Sunday. Accordingly, one officer will be assigned specifically to each Indira canteen in the city. Officials will be deployed to visit the canteens. They will taste the food and submit reports and the civic body will take steps accordingly to improve the services,” he said.

“We will also set up a new helpline to deal with complaints related to Indira Canteen,” the chief commissioner added.

During Shivakumar’s surprise visit, he found that some staffers were charging customers double the price for a meal, officials said. “A plate priced at ₹5 was being sold at ₹10,” officials said.In one canteen, food got over before 9am and according to the staff, 208 plates had already been sold, officials said.

The deputy chief minister also found that the toll-free helpline to register complaints in the canteens was not working, officials said.

Talking about the steps to be taken for improvement of services at the Indira Canteens, Girinath said, based on government proceedings, the tender documents for the canteens will be prepared and floated zone-wise. Apart from approving the tenders, the government has also given its node to create infrastructure to establish 50 new canteens, he said.

“This process will take 15-20 days. Currently, the previous contractors are managing the canteens. Soon, the new contractors will take over and the prices and menu will be changed,” Girinath added.The chief minister has already released a grant of ₹100 crore in the recent state budget for the development of Indira Canteens.