How Mumbai’s iconic Dabbawalas are treading their way through the pandemic?

One of the communities that have possibly borne the biggest brunt of the pandemic in Mumbai is the dabbawalas. With the lockdown, several restrictions were brought in place that hindered them from carrying out their livelihood. The most prominent being the inability to use the local train services.

According to certain reports, around the 3000-4000 dabbawalas were faced with the nerve-wracking question of how to earn a livelihood, thus, many have accepted anything that they managed to get their hands on. These include working as food delivery agents, online courier delivery, and e-commerce delivery agents. Some have set up stalls selling vegetables, whilst others have gone back to their villages and are now involved in farming activities. Some, however, although frustrated, wait with bated breath of when they will be permitted to use the local train services and commence their original work.

Many have come to the rescue of these dabbawalas, for instance, certain companies are utilizing their services to deliver items. However, they cannot go too far without the support of the government. Thus, their association is pressing for their inclusion in the Universal Travel Pass system so that they are able to utilize the local train services and commence operations.