The beloved Mumbai Dabbawala services, the reputation for having proven accuracy and reliability, will remain suspended for six days starting today. This has sent a chill through office workers around Mumbai and millions of people are dependent on the system for a home cooked meal at any given moment in every day.
The suspension is part of an annual break by the Dabbawala community. This period sees its regular members withdraw into themselves for their time off for service to the communities and things like maintenance and the like.
The Mumbai Dabbawala network has been providing lunchboxes throughout the city for over 100 years. When served with an almost error free system and Six Sigma-level efficiency, the service has been a lifeline for corporate professionals who prefer having homemade versus a restaurant meal.
The Dabbawala association said the shutdown will be short-term and services will resume immediately after the six day break. Regular customers should also know that they have options during this period of time, as noted.
The shutdowns of services are also driving office-goers to shop from restaurants or even consider the free meal delivery or carry their own lunch at work. Most customers were okay at what happened, although they did recognize that everyone has a day but in a lot of ways a good break for the hardworking Dabbawalas has to be taken.
In history, in this context the Dabbawala service has earned itself globally recognition for the well thought-out logistics system to provide the product based on a network of delivery personnel who distribute tiffins with local trains, bicycles, and handcarts. The system of operation has been studied with global organizations and for business schools as an example of operational excellence.
The temporary suspension also highlights the customer side of the service (with the people who delivered that delivery in mind) that’s the service: the workforce working there rarely slows down.
Mumbaikars will be adjusting their schedules now that they have six days to rest once again, eagerly awaiting the return of the tiffin carriers who supply not only food but a place of home to workplaces all across the city.
