Mumbai: Dabbawalas, consulate staff allowed to travel in local trains

Mumbai: Mumbai's dabbawalas and staff of foreign consulates and high commissions have been allowed to travel in local trains which are currently being run only for essential services staff, officials said on Wednesday.

Dabbawalas, the famous lunch-box carriers in Mumbai, last month said there was never a six-month break in the "130 -year-old history of the tiffin services", and demanded access to local trains to resume their services in full capacity. "The staff of foreign consulates and high commissions have also been permitted to travel in local trains, as per the directives received from the Ministry of Railways," he said.

Over 5,000 dabbawalas run the tiffin delivery business in the metropolis. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, they used to deliver over two lakh tiffins to office-goers on normal working days. They use suburban trains to ensure lunch boxes are delivered at the destination on time.