Mumbai's dabbawalas take up 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyan'

World renowned 'dabbawalas' (lunch box carriers) sweept the Mumbai streets after Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated them to join the Clean Indian Mission.

The 'dabbawalas' are city's lifeline as the team of around 5000 people supply food to around 200,000 office goers every day. They carry hot food in lunch boxes from the houses of Mumbai residents in the morning and deliver them at their workplace.

A group of lunch box carriers assembled at Lower Parel area and swept the streets and footpaths with a promise to involve their customers also in this campaign.

"Our institution is 125 years old and we cater to 2, 00,000 customers. We will take the message to them. We will urge people not to liter footpaths and trains. We will back the clean campaign to the hilt," said Baburao Karwante, a lunch box carrier.

The dabbawalas, world-famous for their efficiency, co-ordination and hygiene, said they would do their best to ensure cleanliness around.

"Modi's clean India campaign is good and is inspirational to the country. We, Indians, should support it so that it accomplishes its objective. There should not be any garbage in Mumbai, Maharashtra and India. Everybody should pay attention to it," added Natha Ram.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier on Thursday also nominated classical dancer Sonal Mansingh, former Delhi police commissioner and anti-graft activist Kiran Bedi, former cricketer Sourav Ganguly and comedian Kapil Sharma for his mission.