Once a vital part of Mumbai's daily rhythm,the city's renowned dabbawalas are facing an uncertain future. The number of these lunchbox delivery workers has plummeted from approximately 4,500 in 2018 to about 1,500 today,as remote work and rising living costs reshape landscape of meal delivery in the bustling metropolis.
For over a century, dabbawalas have been synonymous with precision and reliability,delivering home-cooked meals to office workers across Mumbai. Each morning, they would gather at suburban railway stations, bicycles laden with lunchboxes,and navigate the city’s extensive train network . The lunchboxes, known as dabbas,typically contained rice,lentils, curries, and flatbreads, all freshly prepared in homes. This system, which relies on an intricate alphanumeric coding method, has been celebrated globally,even drawing the attention of Harvard Business School.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this finely tuned operation. With offices shuttered and employees working from home,the demand for dabbawalas dwindled. Kiran Gavande, secretary of the Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association, noted that many workers now visit the office only a few times a week, significantly impacting the dabbawala community. “After the lockdown,work-from-home started,” he explained.
As the pandemic waned, offices reopened,but shift to hybrid work models persisted,leaving many dabbawalas struggling. Balu Bhagu Shinde, who spent two decades delivering lunchboxes,saw his customer base shrink dramatically. Once serving 15 to 20 clients daily, he was left with just two by the end of 2020. Now tuktuk driver, Shinde earns less than he did as a dabbawala and faces mounting financial pressures,including the education of his three children.
Mauli Bachche,another long-time dabbawala, has adapted by taking on a second job collecting daily savings deposits for a finance company. His workday stretches to 15 hours, and he travels over 100 kilometers across the city . “Income from dabbawala work is very low,” he said,reflecting the broader struggle of his peers. Many have resorted to juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet.
The dabbawala system originated in the late 19th century,when growing workforce in Bombay sought a way to enjoy home-cooked meals during day. Mahadeo Bachche is credited with organizing service in its modern form in 1890, and it quickly became a staple for many families. simplicity of the concept—home-cooked meals delivered to offices—was revolutionary at the time.
Today, however,the dabbawalas face fierce competition from food delivery apps like Swiggy and Zomato,which offer a wide range of meal options at the touch of a button. This shift in consumer behavior has further eroded the dabbawala's once-dominant position in the market. Ramdas Baban Karvande,president of Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association, acknowledged the challenges, stating that network no longer operates across all parts of the city as it once did.
Looking ahead, the association is exploring shift-based work to allow dabbawalas to pursue part-time jobs alongside their deliveries. “This will allow them to earn from other work or small businesses,” Karvande said,though he remains uncertain about the future of the system. “We are continuing for now,” he added,“but we cannot say what will happen in the future.”
As the sun rises each day,the dabbawalas still weave through crowded train platforms, a living reminder of a tradition that has long defined Mumbai's culinary landscape. Yet,as the city evolves,the fate of these iconic lunchbox deliverers hangs in balance.
