"‘We were promised a better future’—Mumbai dabbawalas on Shiv Sena’s failure"

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Mumbai's iconic dabbawalas, known for their efficient lunchbox delivery system, have expressed disappointment over Shiv Sena's failure to deliver on promises made in the 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Despite being in power for five years in the BMC and having Uddhav Thackeray serve as Maharashtra's Chief Minister for a period, the party has only fulfilled one of its commitments - the construction of Dabbawala Bhavan. The remaining pledges, which were aimed at improving the livelihoods of the dabbawala community, remain unfulfilled, leading to mounting dissatisfaction.

According to the 2017 BMC vision document, Shiv Sena had outlined a structured plan to uplift Mumbai's dabbawalas, including:

• Formation of an independent company - The plan was to organise Mumbai's dabbawalas into a formalised entity to streamline operations and provide financial security.
• Financial support of ₹5 crore in the first year - The newly established company was to receive financial backing from the government to ensure stability in its initial phase.
• Assistance for bicycles, parking, education, and healthcare - The party had promised support for purchasing bicycles, setting up dedicated parking spaces, and securing educational and healthcare facilities for dabbawala families through corporate and social partnerships.
• Construction of Dabbawala Bhavan - A dedicated building in Mumbai was to be constructed, providing an office and rest space for dabbawalas.
  
  

While the Dabbawala Bhavan has been completed, none of the other promises have been honoured, leaving the community feeling abandoned by the party.

Dabbawala representatives have openly expressed their dissatisfaction with Shiv Sena's lack of action. They argue that despite repeated letters sent to Uddhav Thackeray regarding the pending initiatives, no steps were taken to address their concerns.

"It is a fact that except for the Dabbawala Bhavan, none of the promises from Shiv Sena's vision document have been fulfilled. I have personally written several letters to Uddhav Thackeray regarding this, but no action was taken. If they had no intention of keeping their promises, they should not have made them in the first place," said Subhash Talekar, President of the Mumbai Dabbawala Association.

The frustration has led many dabbawalas to question the party's credibility and commitment to the working-class communities of Mumbai. The association has now planned a formal meeting with Uddhav Thackeray to convey their grievances directly.

With the upcoming civic elections, the growing discontent among the dabbawalas could become a significant political issue, potentially influencing voter sentiment in Mumbai.