In Puducherry, a restaurant owner has created a multi-storeyed restaurant with abandoned containers. Like houses, offices and restaurants repurposed from containers that have been welcomed abroad, the three-storied container restaurant on Ambur Road in Puducherry has attracted tourists.
At 10 feet long – 8 feet wide – 8 feet high, these iron containers have been decorated with discarded iron, glass, boards, number plates, coloured paper, bamboo, birdcage, and flower baskets. This restaurant is located in the White Town area of Puducherry.
In a similar fashion, the Puducherry Municipality has designed bathrooms and toilets with containers in areas including the beach, hospital exterior and Ginger Road. While an actual building with bricks and cement costs around 25 lakh rupees, the same can be completed with containers within 10 lakh rupees. It costs at least 3 lakh rupees to turn a container into a house or a restaurant. Pondicherry is witnessing the emergence of container houses as an alternative to the conventional housing structures that have been present for several decades.
A similar restaurant called The Box Project is present in Chennai. It is spread over 2,800 square feet and houses five kitchens, each taking up one container, with an airy rooftop dining space that can seat 70 people. There is Chinese food by Tago, Hyderabad-based Little Idli (with its selection of dosas, vadas and idlis), Hatimy’s (Bohri food), That Waffle Place and Brunch (juices, chaats and sandwiches).