Thiruvananthapuram: The Kudumbashree Lunch Bell project, launched by women volunteers in Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram on March 6 with the aim of providing quality homely food to the needy online customers, is turning out to be a hit among the customers with the volunteers behind the initiative happy and satisfied.
The lunch bell project started on March 6 after the local affairs minister MB Rajesh inaugurated it on March 5. So far more than 2000 meals have been delivered. Delivery partner Vichitra said most of the orders come from those staying in the city hailing from other districts. The coordination of Girija's kitchen and online mobile app Pocket Mart, including routing to delivery partners, is being done by the contracted company Adhiba Institute of Food Research and Hospitality.
The meals are available on all days except Sunday with one curry each day. Non-vegetarian meals are charged at Rs 90 and vegetarian meals at Rs 60. The volunteers are planning to offer a 10 percent discount for the monthly orders.
Delicious Dishes, Veg and Non-veg
The menu includes Pulisseri, Mor, Rasam, Thoran, Mezhukkupuratti, Chammanthi, Avial, Koottukari, Theeyal and Pickle along with rice and sambar in the vegetarian meal. Non-vegetarian meals are accompanied by fish curry or fish fry and a single omelet.
You Can Order Till 6 am
Orders will be accepted until the kitchen starts working at 6 am. After 6 pm only lunches for the next day can be ordered. There are 11 people who prepare meals in the kitchen at Kudumbashree Lunch Bell project. There are 8 delivery partners to deliver food at five points in the city. Orders are accepted only from Medical College, Pattam, LMS, Statue, Ayurveda College points and within 2 km radius.
The needy should visit the points directly to receive the lunch box. At 11 am the delivery partners leave with lunch. A second trip is made at 3pm to collect the containers. The lunch box should be returned at the same points during this time. Delivery partners carry 10 orders at a time. All 5 points have a storage system for food and utensils.
Kudumbashree State Office at Medical College, Kudumbasree District Mission Office Pattam, Public Office building at LMS, Statue and Ayurveda College serve as van collection points for lunch boxes.
How to Order
Lunch can be ordered from Pocket Mart, a mobile app that provides Kudumbashree products online. The app is available on Play Store and Apple Store. From the opening day of March 5, the option to book a lunch box has been made available on the mobile app. Customers can select between vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.
Then one of the 5 delivery points can be selected for convenience. The mobile number of the booker should also be mentioned. The Kudumbashree members arriving for the delivery will contact the beneficiaries on phone later. After purchasing the lunch, the lunch box should be returned at the same point.
More Than 2000 Lunches in 16 days
Lunch Bell's kitchen is located in Keraladityapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, which prepares only local dishes with homely taste. Girija, the founder of the first Kudumbashree Lunch Box Kitchen in Thiruvananthapuram, is happy that the project has been a huge success due to its popularity. Members starting from 86-year-old Saraswatiyamma to grandson Nandu are active from 6 am.
Girija, who ran the Thiruvananthapuram University College Canteen for 14 years, had earlier started the Kudumbashree catering unit with the support of her husband Ravindran Potti. Girija's son Nandu and daughter-in-law Malavika are there with active support. Though Girija is heading the kitchen, 86 year old Saraswati Amma has the last word on ingredients in curries.
Dishes including the hit items on the menu, Champayka pickle, are prepared by Saraswati Amma. There are 11 people in the kitchen. Eight people are deputed for delivery and preparations starting from the previous night.
Next Delivery Point in Kazhakkoottam Soon
Kudumbashree aims to make the most of the initial popularity of the Lunch Bell project. The move is to close the point at Ayurveda College, which has relatively low demand in the city, and start a new point at Kazhakootam Technopark Phase III. It will start accepting orders from the new point this month itself. Project manager John informed that the food will be delivered to Kazhakkoottam from the current kitchen. More delivery partners should be found and trained and the new delivery point is aimed at techies, he added.
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