NEW DELHI: Marking the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Delhi government on Thursday launched the Atal canteen scheme, opening 45 canteens across the capital to provide nutritious meals at just Rs 5.The scheme was inaugurated at an Atal canteen near Apna Bazaar in Nehru Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, by Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood. The government has announced that the total number of Atal canteens in Delhi will be scaled up to 100 within the next 15–20 days.
Officials said the canteens have been strategically located in industrial areas, JJ clusters, migrant settlements and densely populated neighbourhoods to maximise reach.List of 45 Atal canteen s inaugurated across Delhi
- Narela – Vacant land, Pocket-11, Sector A-6, Narela (HUDCO)
- Narela – CS Plot, B-Block, Holambi Kalan
- Bawana – C-Block, Shahbad Daulatpur (Dairy)
- Bawana – CS Land, A-Block, SRS Bawana
- Badli – Sanjay Camp
- Adarsh Nagar – G-Block Cluster, Jahangirpuri, Azadpur, Delhi-110033
- Shalimar Bagh – Near Mohalla Clinic, AA Block, Kela Godown Road
- Wazirpur – Near C-35 JSC, Wazirpur Industrial Area
- Timarpur – Shopping Complex, Katra Meena Beg, Malk Ganj
- Timarpur – JJ Cluster, Sanjay Basti
- Shakur Basti – Shaheed Bhagat Singh Camp, Paschim Puri
- Mangol Puri – N-Block, Mangolpuri
- Mangol Puri – Land near BVK, G-Block
- Rajouri Garden – Vacant land between JJ Cluster, Shyam Nagar & Shikhri Bhatta
- Madipur – R-Block JJC, Raghubir Nagar
- Madipur – Near B1 & K Block JJC, opposite B-Block Community Hall
- Shakur Basti – E-Block, Punjab Migrant Relief Camp, Peergarhi
- Rajouri Garden – Vacant parking land, F Extension, near GGS Hospital, Khyala
- Moti Nagar – Shishu Vatika, Chunna Bhatti, Kirti Nagar
- Rajinder Nagar – B-Block, Budh Nagar, Inderpuri
- Rajinder Nagar – Shivaji Park, Naraina Industrial Area
- Vikaspuri – JJ Cluster, Indira Camp No-3
- Matiala – Vacant land, Goyla Dairy
- Matiala – Sector-3, Phase-I, Dwarka
- Najafgarh – Jai Vihar, Phase-I
- Palam – Vacant plot near Veterinary Hospital, Sector-1, Dwarka
- Mehrauli – JJC Kusumpur Pahari
- R K Puram – Bhanwar Singh Camp, Vasant Vihar
- Chhatarpur – Shanti Camp
- Chhatarpur – Sanjay Colony, Bhati Mines
- Sangam Vihar – Northern Camp, S.P. Crusher, M.B. Road
- Malviya Nagar – Balmiki Camp, Begumpur
- Malviya Nagar – Indira Camp
- Sangam Vihar – DDA Park, near Police Station
- Greater Kailash – Sheikh Sarai, Apeejay School Road
- R K Puram – Ekta Vihar, Sector-6
- Jangpura – JJ Cluster, Anna Nagar
- Jangpura – Pratap Camp, Nehru Nagar
- Greater Kailash – DDA Flats, Kalkaji
- Krishna Nagar – JJ Cluster, Rani Garden
- Shahdara – Rajeev Camp, Krishna Market, Jhilmil Colony
- Shahdara – Vacant land opposite Community Hall, Old Seemapuri
- Rohtas Nagar – C-Block, Nand Nagri
- Rohtas Nagar – Near Lal Bagh, Jhuggi Basti, Sri Ram Nagar
- Shalimar Bagh – GP Block, Pitampura
Resuming operations details, each Atal canteen will serve lunch from 11.30 am to 2 pm and dinner from 6.30 pm to 9 pm. The standard meal of around 600 grams includes roti, dal or pulses, seasonal vegetables, rice and pickle, delivering 700–800 calories and 20–25 grams of protein.The Delhi government has allocated Rs 104.24 crore for the project. Each canteen is expected to serve around 1,000 meals daily, enabling access to affordable food for over one lakh people per day. Operations will be handled by 11 agencies selected through a tender process, with facilities such as modern kitchens, LPG-based cooking systems, RO water plants, digital token systems and CCTV surveillance. Food quality will be monitored through regular testing by FSSAI and NABL-accredited laboratories.Earlier in the day, CM Rekha Gupta travelled by Delhi Metro from Delhi Gate to Lajpat Nagar to attend the inauguration, interacting with commuters and promoting public transport.The launch drew criticism from the opposition, with the Congress arguing that subsidised meals cannot substitute employment generation. The government, however, said the wide geographic spread of the 45 canteens marks a significant step towards strengthening Delhi’s food security framework.
