Members of Parliament (MPs) will soon have the convenience of utilizing a cutting-edge mobile app to place food orders from the Parliament canteen. This innovative app will enable them to have their selected dishes delivered directly to their seats or prepared for take-away as per their preference.
According to two officials familiar with the matter, the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) has recently conducted a “soft launch” of the Sansad Cafeteria app at Parliament. Following its successful trial with Parliament staffers a few weeks ago, the app is set to be officially launched for all Members of Parliament, Parliament officers, and staff. This new app promises to enhance their Parliament experience, offering a more convenient and improved way to access the cafeteria services.
The management of the Parliament canteen falls under the responsibility of ITDC, a public sector undertaking (PSU) operating under the administrative purview of the Union Ministry of Tourism.
“The primary objective of the app is to provide this facility to MPs/officers/staff of Parliament, etc. to be able to order and get their choice of food delivered to their desired place or picked-up from a particular ITDC canteen/kitchen within the Parliament,” the official cited above said.
“They will also be able to select the choice of canteen/kitchen to order from. The menus for all canteen/kitchen will be listed with filter options to select from a particular food category like snacks, breakfast, brunch, lunch,” the official added.
Within the Parliament complex, multiple canteens and kitchens will be available for users to choose from.
The app’s menu will feature a range of breakfast options, such as sandwiches, puri sabzi, poha, and masala dosa. For lunch, users can choose from items like mini thali, shahi paneer, chicken curry, kadhi pakoda, and jeera rice, among others. Despite the Parliament canteen no longer being subsidized since 2021, the prices on the app will remain affordable. For instance, fish and chips will be available for just over INR 100, and dosa for INR 30, as confirmed by the mentioned officials.
“MPs will be able to use the app (available for both Android and iOS) in a way that their desired food item can be delivered to their location of choice within the Parliament premises,” the official said.
According to the second official, MPs will have the flexibility to choose their preferred mode of payment, and they will also be able to track the real-time progress of their order, from preparation to delivery.
“MPs who wish to pick their order themselves will be notified to get the order picked up from the pickup location. They will be able to select the building they want their food to be delivered within the Parliament premise. The building options shall be pre-defined as PH (for Parliament House), PHA (for the annexe), and PLB (for the library block),” the official said.
In 2020, ITDC assumed control of the Parliament canteen, taking over from Northern Railways, which had been catering to Parliamentarians for approximately 52 years.
