Tiruchi City Corporation is set to launch a pilot phase of the free meal scheme that will benefit 3,243 workers involved in sanitation services across the city.
The programme will cover permanent and contract workers, doorstep waste collection workers, domestic breeding checkers, truck drivers involved in sanitation activities, and 193 night workers deployed for cleaning roads, public spaces and major locations such as the Srirangam temple, and the Panjapur bus terminus.
To implement the scheme, the old Ariyamangalam zonal office in Zone II has been modified to house a central kitchen, dispatch points, storage facilities, and other essential infrastructure. The pilot phase of the scheme, under which breakfast will be provided, is scheduled to be launched in Zone IV and later extended to the remaining zones in a phased manner.
Around 1,500 tiffin boxes have been procured for distributing food to the workers. Breakfast items such as idli, pongal, and semiya kichadi will be served under the scheme.
The facility will function between 3 a.m. and 5.30 a.m. daily, and the breakfast will be distributed before 7 a.m. To ensure timely delivery, five special geotagged vehicles, one for each zone, will be deployed to distribute food to workers across wards. Trial runs are being conducted to assess the feasibility of delivering meals on time.
A sum of ₹15.91 crore had been allocated from the Corporation’s General Funds for implementing the scheme for three years. A Bengaluru-based contractor has been engaged for executing the project, with around 40 workers deployed for meal preparation and distribution.
A project management consultant has been appointed to oversee the implementation of the scheme, monitor the quality and quantity of food supplied, and ensure adherence to delivery timelines, an official said.
Published – December 22, 2025 09:37 pm IST
