Municipal corporation is planning to allow brands like Cafe Coffee Day and Starbucks to set up shop in its canteen.
Bored of waiting at the civic headquarters while getting your work done? Here is some good news for you. If everything falls in place, you will soon get to sip brewing coffee at a leading brand outlet like Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) inside the municipal headquarters building.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planing to allow brands like CCD to run business at its canteen on the headquarters building.
The civic body is in process of inviting tenders for operating canteen for municipal staffers and visitors at annex building of the headquarter, located close to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).
As part of the renovation work going at the basement-plus-six storeyed building, the corporation may offer an area of 700 sqft out of the total 8,000 sqft area planned for canteen on the ground floor for running the outlet.
“The existing canteen is located at the fourth floor of the building. During renovation, it will be relocated to the ground floor, replacing hydraulic engineer’s department. When e-tenders will be invited for operating canteen, nearly 10 per cent of the space may make way for an outlet like CCD or Starbucks,” an official said, requesting anonymity.
The official added the prospect of permitting a brand outlet and renting the canteen are being weighed and a administrative decision in this regard expected in a month or two.
Even as the corporation mulls allowing brands to open outlet at the headquarters, staffers and visitors will have to pay more at the municipal canteen. As of now, food and snacks are provided at subsidized rates at the canteen.
This mainly because the corporation doesn’t charge contractors for use of electricity, water and importantly space. Now when the civic body will invite tenders for appointing contractors again, the bidding agencies will be asked to pay for the use of space. “We will have to end up paying more for the food. It can’t be understood as to why the cash-rich civic body won’t afford to provide food at cheaper rates to its own staffers. For years, staffers, whether they are from fourth grade or higher rank, are accustomed to the affordable service,” the official added.
Despite repeated attempts, civic chief Sitaram Kunte remained unavailable for his version.
Civic activists like Nikhil Desai don’t feel there is nothing wrong if food or beverage at such outlets is made available to staffers or visitors at subsidized rates. “It should not happen that public representatives are provided service at cheaper rates, while others are asked to shell out more,” Desai said.
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