NEW DELHI: On Thursday, Delhi marked Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary by launching 45 “Atal Canteens” across the city. The celebrations were grand, the promise enticing—but anyone familiar with the MCD’s track record might be forgiven for raising an eyebrow.

A similar venture just a few years ago had fizzled out, leaving behind empty kiosks and dust-covered counters. Will this second attempt succeed?

The original “Atal Rasoi” or “Atal Aahar Kendra” were launched between 2017 and 2018 by the trifurcated MCDs. For `10, the kiosks offered freshly cooked, nutritious meals—six puris with vegetable, kadhi chawal, and other staples.

“We started this food kiosk as a pilot project. We will run this food kiosk with the help of local residents,” said Tilak Raj Kataria, then Standing Committee chairman.

Half a dozen centres opened on Vajpayee’s 93rd birthday, taking a cue from the popularity of Karnataka’s Indira Canteens and Tamil Nadu’s Amma Canteens. South Delhi had six kiosks in the first phase. The kiosks, just 9 feet by 5 feet, operated from noon to 2 pm and were expected to serve 500-700 plates each day.

But within a year, most centres were closed. Within a couple of years, the entire project had shut down. Many BJP and AAP councillors raised the issue during Standing Committee and House meetings, but their pleas had fallen on deaf ears.

Days after the BJP took control of the unified MCD this year, councillors from both the BJP and AAP began pressing for a revival. A MCD leader offered a shrug of explanation: “We had a funding crisis, so we closed the stalls. Now, since our government is expanding this, I think we should support them with our available resources.”

MCD canteens find a second wind?

The city spent lakhs, fed hundreds, then walked away—while the new government quietly picks up the baton. Whether the MCD’s canteens will finally find a second wind remains to be seen. For now, `5 buys a meal, but history suggests it may not buy consistency.