Launched on December 25, 2025, by the Delhi government to mark the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Atal Canteen scheme is a landmark initiative aimed at ensuring food security with dignity for the urban poor, daily wage laborers, migrant workers, and low-income families. Named in honor of Vajpayee's legacy of service and good governance, it fulfills a key BJP election promise, with an allocation of ₹104.24 crore.
Initially opening 45 canteens across industrial areas, JJ clusters, and high-footfall zones, the scheme plans to expand to 100 locations soon. Each canteen serves hygienic, nutritious meals twice daily—lunch and dinner—at a nominal ₹5 per plate (government subsidizes the remaining ₹25). The standardized 600g thali includes rotis, dal or pulses, seasonal vegetables, rice, and pickle, providing 700–800 calories and 20–25g protein.
Managed by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), features include digital tokens, CCTV monitoring, and FSSAI-quality checks. In just two days, over 33,000 meals were served, highlighting immense demand and the scheme's role in combating hunger while promoting self-respect.
Key Details
Purpose — Provides affordable, nutritious, and hygienic meals to daily wage laborers, the urban poor, migrant workers, and low-income families in Delhi, ensuring no one goes hungry with dignity.
Price — ₹5 per meal (heavily subsidized; actual cost around ₹30, with government covering the rest).
Number of Canteens — Planned for 100 across the city, located in industrial areas, JJ clusters, slum settlements, and high-footfall zones. As of launch, 45 were opened, with the remaining to follow soon.
Timings — Lunch (around 11:30 AM–2 PM or extended) and dinner (6:30 PM–9 PM).
Daily Capacity — Each canteen serves up to 1,000 meals per day (split between lunch and dinner).
Menu — Standardized nutritious thali: Typically includes 6 rotis (or 300g chapati), 100g dal (or rajma/chole), 100g seasonal vegetables, 100g rice/millets, and pickle. Provides 700–800 calories and 20–25g protein.
Features — Digital token system, CCTV monitoring, food prepared in modern kitchens, quality checks by FSSAI/NABL labs.
Budget — Around ₹104 crore allocated.
The scheme has seen high demand, with long queues and thousands availing meals in the first days.
Atal Canteen Locations in Delhi (as of December 27, 2025)
The Delhi government launched 45 Atal Canteens on December 25, 2025, with plans to expand to 100 in the coming weeks. These are primarily located in industrial areas, JJ clusters, slum settlements, migrant worker hubs, and high-footfall zones across the city.
A complete official list of all 45 addresses has not been fully published yet in public sources, but news reports highlight several key operational locations. Here are the known ones mentioned across reliable reports:
Additional canteens are spread across various districts to cover the urban poor and daily wage workers effectively.
For the most up-to-date and complete list of addresses, timings, or to find the nearest one:
Check official Delhi government portals (e.g., DUSIB or Delhi Govt websites).
Recent news updates from sources like Times of India, NDTV, or Hindustan Times often share partial lists or photos from inaugurations.
The remaining ~55 canteens are expected to open soon, with announcements likely in early 2026. If you have a specific area in mind, I can help search for nearby options!
Atal Canteen Menu Details (Delhi)
The Atal Canteens offer a standardized, nutritious thali for just ₹5 per meal (lunch and dinner). The menu is designed to provide a balanced, hygienic, and filling meal focused on basic nutrition for daily wage workers, the urban poor, and low-income families.
Standard Thali Contents
Chapati/Roti (unlimited or sufficient quantity in most reports)
Dal (lentils/legumes)
Rice (or sometimes millets as an alternative)
Seasonal vegetable sabzi (one type of fresh, seasonal vegetable curry)
Pickle (achar for flavor)
This simple vegetarian thali is consistent across all canteens, prepared in modern kitchens with quality checks. Variations may occur based on seasonal availability (e.g., different vegetables like bhindi, aloo-gobi, or mixed sabzi), but the core items remain the same.
Additional Notes
Meal Timings: Lunch (typically 11:30 AM–2 PM or up to 4 PM) and Dinner (6:30 PM–9 PM or similar).
Daily Capacity: Up to 1,000 meals per canteen (split between lunch and dinner).
Focus: Hygienic, hot, cooked food with emphasis on dignity and nutrition. Meals are distributed via a digital token system.
For the latest updates or any minor changes, refer to official Delhi government or DUSIB announcements, as the scheme is newly launched.
