Mobile Indira Canteens will be powered by solar panels

For the soon-to-be launched mobile Indira Canteens, the word 'clean' will not just mean hygienic conditions, but also the kind of energy it would use.

The vehicles would drive around the city sporting a pair of solar panels on the roof to power the lights, fans, CCTV cameras, point of sale machines and ticker boards.

"The panels will be charged throughout the day and will help powering the gadgets fixed inside," BBMP special commissioner Manoj Rajan said.

The civic body would launch 24 vehicles that would serve areas where it could not find a permanent location to run the subsidised eating joint.

While the vehicles would cost Rs 8.80 lakh each, an additional Rs 4.80 lakh would be spent on fixing the gadgets.

"The van has to stop at a designated place, identified in each ward. They would park at this spot thrice a day," Rajan said. "The mobile canteens will have the same menu as the regular Indira Canteens and will serve up to 500 people."

The vehicles will have four CCTV cameras and a ticker board to indicate the number of plates served. They will have separate counters to buy the coupons and pick up the food.

With speculations going around that the mobile Indira Canteens will be launched on January 26, BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said the civic body has sought the chief minister's availability. "If we get his approval, we will launch the mobile canteens on Republic Day," Prasad said.