Click to play videoMumbai: The celebrated dabbawallas of Mumbai have gone on vacation, leaving over two lakh customers hungry at lunch. The 5,000-strong army, who can perhaps be called the feeder line of the city, are off on their annual pilgrimage till April 5.
“It shouldn’t have been for five days. One or two days was ok but this will be difficult for us,” complains a customer Rajpal.
Most dabbawallas have gone to Pandharpur while many are busy visiting their families in their native place in Khed.
In fact there wasn't even a spokesperson available to explain the vanishing act, the only confirmation was a phone call from dabbawala, Sandeep Medge who confirmed, “They go for an annual pilgrimage.”
So, this five-day vacation has left the office goers with no choice but to eat out. “It’s a forced outing and we have to eat at stalls now,” says another customer Venkat Rao.
Local trains, which are usually flooded with clanging dabbas and dabbawalas rushing to meet Mumbai’s lunch hour deadline, now wear a deserted look with most of them on their annual leave.
But there is one section of the society that is enjoying this break – street food joints, who are making the most of the absence of dabbawallas.
Doing good business are sandwich stall owners like Shekhar who's buttering his way to the stomach of the dabbawallah’s famished clientele.
“Yes, it’s good business for me. I now make nearly Rs 300 a day while earlier I used to make Rs 100,” Shekhar explains excitedly.
So, while the food couriers of Mumbai hit the holy trail, local eateries say bon appetit!
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