Vellore Corporation invites tenders for complete renovation of Amma canteens

Corporation officials said tenders for the complete renovation of the canteens will be held next week. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

A decade after its opening, Amma canteens will soon get a new lease of life as the Vellore Corporation will float tenders to overhaul the facility in the coming week.

Corporation officials said former chief minister Jayalalithaa practically inaugurated the first Amma canteen in the city in 2015 when the program was launched in the state. Since then, the building has not been reconstructed.

“The company is embarking on restoration work on the canteens for the first time. The canteens will be redecorated,” R. Lakshmanan, commissioner, told The Hindu.

Corporation officials said tenders for the complete renovation of the canteens will be held next week. Subsequently, work will begin according to the standard in a fortnight. The whole work will be finished in two months. “Amma canteens help common people to have quality food at affordable prices. Better facilities like seating arrangement, water supply and hand washing facilities should be provided,” said G. Vasantha, a resident.

According to the plan, the damaged parts of the canteens, including the walls and roof, will be plastered. Broken tiles will be replaced with new ones. A new lighting setup will be installed in these dining rooms. The kitchens will be renovated with new plumbing. The electrical wiring will also be thoroughly checked to prevent power fluctuations and short circuits. The overhead tank (OHT), which has a capacity of 50,000 liters, will be cleaned.

To ensure uninterrupted water supply, the motor pump sets connected to the boreholes that supply water to the canteens will be checked. The device will also be painted. According to estimates, the cost of renovating each canteen will be between ₹5,000 and ₹10,000.

Currently, the company operates 10 canteens in the city, which includes 60 wards with a population of eight thousand. On average, over 300 people visit each dining room every day. The menu and the price of the items remain unchanged in the dining rooms.

Company officials said the canteen offers rice idlis, pongal, sambar, lemon and curd. Chapatis are served for dinner. Currently, the canteen is open every day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Each canteen is manned by an average of 12 staff who are mostly roped in from women’s self-help groups (SHGs).

Published – 23 May 2026 23:42 IST