'Dabbawalas' take part in Mumbai Marathon, promote 'Roti Bank'

Mumbai: The city's famed 'dabbawalas' on Sunday participated in the Mumbai Marathon to promote their recently launched `Roti Bank' initiative.

"Roti Bank" is an initiative by the dabbawalas to avoid food wastage.

Under it, the dabbawalas have set up a dedicated call centre where people can inform if they have excess food. It would be collected and distributed to homeless people who otherwise would have starved on that day.

Members of the Mumbai Dabbawala Association (MDA) took part in the marathon to sensitise people about the initiative.

"We want to sensitise people about this Roti Bank concept and as a part of it, the association participated in the marathon," said Subhash Talekar, spokesperson of the association.

The association, whose members deliver around two lakh 'dabbas' (tiffins) across the metropolis, collected the unused food packets distributed during the marathon to be given to the needy people, he added.

The association also claimed to have cleaned the marathon route where participants disposed used water bottles.