Pure not on dhaba menus yet

By introducing the project,the Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) had aimed to train dhaba operators under the guidance of hospitality professionals to improve upon hygiene,food production and service standards. The dhabas were to be recognised by the tourism department through a certificate and their owners were to put up a banner saying “Approved by Punjab Tourism” with the scheme logo. This would have identified the dhaba as an approved and quality establishment for visitors to stop by.

Applications were invited through advertisements in newspapers,while an orientation programme was also held at the Chandigarh College of Hotel Management in Landran. While 20 applications had been received,five of them were shortlisted and imparted on-site training. Post training,the dhabas were inspected jointly by the board and the college and finally three dhabas qualified.

The certified dhabas are Mittran da Dhaba,around 50 kilometres from Chandigarh on National Highway-95,New Zamindara Dhaba and Mangat Dhaba,near Ludhiana,on the same stretch.

“Only three dhabas have been certified under the scheme till now. The owners have shown a lack of interest in the project,” said a senior government functionary.

The government is now planning to expand the ambit of the scheme and include petrol stations with food courts and small restaurants on the highways too. “Several private hotel management colleges have shown keen interest in taking this scheme forward by training dhabas on different highways and ensuring their quality by timely inspection,” said an official. According to sources,the tourism department has decided that all dhabas in the state will be certified. A long check list has been prepared by the department,which will see if the dhabas are operational seven days a week,have tiled walls and flooring,properly cleaned dining area and kitchen,a well-lit campus and separate toilets for men and women equipped with towels,soaps,dustbins,washbasins and mirrors. The operators will also be told to demarcate a proper dining area,serve food in stainless steel utensils and ensure crockery is not chipped.

“All this is being done because Punjab is famous for its hospitality and dhaba culture. We find a dhaba after every couple of kilometres in the state. Our aim is to ensure that travellers get quality food and environment at these places,” said the official.