COVID-19: 8 Municipal Corporations Delivering Veggies, Groceries To Doorsteps

We have nearly completed one week of the 21-day countrywide lockdown in India’s war against the COVID-19 outbreak. Although necessary, this period stresses many citizens as it may disrupt their access to essential needs.

During this crisis, eight municipal corporations in the country stepped up. These corporations are setting an excellent example of maintaining peace and order, while also ensuring essential services like groceries and medicines.

1. Indore Municipal Corporation

Before the lockdown was declared, the Indore Municipal Corporation had given our citizens a two-hour relaxation period during the curfew to step out and buy essential groceries, vegetables, and medicines.

But this was revoked after the announcement of the lockdown. To ensure that citizens stay at home, the corporation is delivering groceries, vegetables, and medicines to people’s homes.

Speaking to The Better India, Municipal Commissioner, IAS Asheesh Singh, said, “Indore is known for its cleanliness and solid waste management practices. Our waste collection vehicles operate on 467 routes to cover the entire city, where every vehicle collects waste from 1,000-1,200 households on each route. We leveraged this data to convert these 467 routes into units for door-to-door delivery. We have deployed 222 loading autos and 700 handcart vegetable sellers to cover five lakh households. We have also appointed 467 nodal officers to overlook the working of the system who are managing their respective routes. The sellers have been issued essential service passes too.”

You can find the details for your nodal officers for the 467 routes in Indore here.

He ends with a humble appeal to citizens, “We will ensure essential services reach you. Please think about all the frontline workers with families during this crisis, including us, who are at a maximum risk of exposure. But this is our service. We will always put our citizens and their needs first. So please stay at home.”

2. Amdavad Municipal Corporation

The Amdavad Municipal Corporation has been on top of their game to make sure essential services are not disrupted. The corporation collaborated with Amul to deliver over 14,990 tetrapaks of milk, distributed 1,64,981 free food packets to the homeless, and 1,712 food packets to senior citizens.

Over 11,100 free packets of vegetables and 7,792 grocery kits were also given to those in need.

For those in quarantine, 28,281 free cooked food packets and 5,387 grocery kits were also distributed.

The corporation’s gesture won the hearts of people who took to social media to express their gratitude.

Most welcome 🙏🙏 https://t.co/xNQ25kJOWk

— Vijay Nehra (@vnehra) March 27, 2020

To meet the needs of the citizens, the corporation also plied 164 vehicles under their project, Vegetables on Wheels, selling over 42,578 kg of vegetables since the lockdown. It has also allowed leading outlets such as Big Bazaar, Reliance Retail, Osia Hypermarket, and D-Mart to deliver vegetables and groceries to people’s homes. You can find the contact details here.

Call for food packets, food kits, Vegetables on Wheels on 9726416131.

Know of senior citizens struggling during the lockdown? Contact the AMC Food Helpline Number on 9825192000.

For any other queries or complaints, dial – 155303.

3. Tirupati Municipal Corporation

The Tirupati Municipal Corporation has initiated steps to facilitate home delivery of groceries and vegetables. Following the announcement of the 21-day lockdown, people thronged to the markets to stock up on goods and vegetables, flouting all rules of social distancing.

To end the commotion and prevent people from panic-buying, the municipal corporation of Tirupati requested supermarkets and medical shops in the city to initiate home delivery of provisions and vegetables.

To ensure further safety and availability of essential items, vegetable market vendors were shifted to open spaces in different locations in the city. Rules of social distancing are maintained with painted boxes for people to stand in a queue, as authorities monitor them. Find the details for home delivery of groceries here.

4. Ludhiana Municipal Corporation

The Municipal Corporation of Ludhiana is also ascertaining door-to-door delivery of essential commodities. Those in essential services have to apply for passes to move during the lockdown.

A list of 674 kirana shops, medicines, LPG, green fodder suppliers has been uploaded on the official website.

The corporation has established ward-wise teams to issue permissions to suppliers, who can get these passes issued by submitting their name, firm name, address, email ID, mobile number (having WhatsApp), proof of reason, timing for which permission is required to [email protected] or on WhatsApp to 9357200786.

Until the passes are issued, they are allowed to move. These persons include milkmen with cans, carts/vans used for door-to-door supply of vegetables and fruits, home delivery of medicines, bread and groceries.

Besides, wholesale sabzi mandis will be allowed to run for a few hours to allow vendors to buy from them, so the vegetables and groceries can reach the doorstep of the public. Similarly, wholesale kirana stores can take online orders and deliver essential items.

Medicine suppliers can get passes from the Zonal Licensing Authority by contacting them on 98720-08040. Other helpline numbers include 0161-2401347, and 9464696757.

The delivery personnel as well as the recipient must wear a mask and use sanitiser.

5. Nagpur Municipal Corporation

Nagpur Municipal Corporation Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe issued orders to allow door-to-door delivery of groceries, vegetables, and other essential services. For this, the corporation sought support from vendors, supermarkets, and individuals.

A list of the suppliers providing home delivery is available on the Municipal Corporation’s official Facebook page with their location, name, and mobile number.

You can access this list of vegetable/groceries sellers on their Facebook page here. And on their official website here.

6. Rourkela Municipal Corporation

The Rourkela Municipal Corporation has partnered with different NGOs to deliver thousands of cooked food packets to the needy and destitute persons in the city. For the general public that can afford to cook food within the safety of their homes, the corporation has allowed home delivery of grocery items and medicines.

Their official Facebook page shows the list of grocery shops which have come forward for home delivery. The name of the stores and their contact numbers are available in this list.

Besides, the corporation has also come up with a list of medical stores that have agreed for home delivery of medicines. You can access this list here.

After getting an overwhelming response for the initiative, more grocery store owners and medical stores have come forward. You can find their contacts here.

7. Pune Municipal Corporation

As the prices for vegetables began to hit the roof, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) approved the sale of vegetables procured directly from farmers in 68 locations in the city. Customers can place an order over the phone for home delivery or buy vegetables from designated spots closest to their homes.

You can find the vendors and the location details in the list here.

8. Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, (BMC) in collaboration with 28 stores like Reliance Fresh, Big Bazaar, Vishal Mega Mart and Aadhar Fresh, is ensuring home delivery of goods during the 21-day lockdown.

The BMC has also provided a list of WhatsApp numbers on their Facebook page. Find the list here. You can pay the bill amount at the time of receiving the orders.

In association with NGO Humara Bachpan Foundation, the BMC also distributed dry ration to migrant labourers stuck in different parts of the city.

If you face issues to get essential items or require any assistance during this lockdown, reach out to the corporation’s helpline number 1929.

Also Read: COVID-19: Want to Ensure the Needy Don’t Go Hungry? Join These 6 Heroes

The times are difficult, we know. But if we follow the rules of social distancing, India can tackle this crisis. So, please, stay at home.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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