Majorly spotted on the national and state highways, a Dhaba is basically a roadside restaurant (commonly located near or next to petrol pumps or the gas stations), which is mostly associated with local food and famous for catering authentic Punjabi cuisines. In the old days, the visitor base largely consisted of truck drivers or long-distance travellers and therefore Dhabas have traditionally served as truck stops. According to historian and food critic Pushpesh Pant, it is for the livelihood that Punjabis introduced Dhabas on the highways and catered to the needs of truck drivers who were driving long distances. Punjabi refugees came and set up small Dhabas first of all to provide food to refugees like their own selves, who had lost their homes and huts as these were affordable and home-cooked meals. As the refugees spread out to other parts of the country, the Dhaba culture moved along with them. To complement the trend, there is a popular saying for Dhabas as “The Dhaba moves wherever a Punjabi goes”. The concept of Sanjha Chulha (Community Kitchen) in villages was replicated in Dhabas that came up along highways. The mighty national highways connecting the cities with one another are dotted with some outstanding Dhabas that have gained much popularity over the time to become a prime tourist attraction of the destinations. Dhabas that were initially built on the concept of serving the long-time-away-from-home truck drivers have now become a much bigger entity. Some of these Indian Dhabas serve food on traditional charpais (cots), while meals are prepared mostly in earthen utensils, which only add to the flavour.

Open for 24 hours a day, Dhabas these days are not just the favourites of truck drivers but has also succeeded in attracting every type of highway travellers all across India. Today, they have become extremely popular and have a special place in the Indian food trend. With time the traditional Dhabas have taken the shape of modern restaurants and become trendy places almost everybody desires to visit for the experience. Seeing the popularity of Dhabas, many restaurants have come up with this concept in a more sophisticated way. As per the estimates, the setting up of a modern style Dhaba can be started with start-up capital of Rs 10 lakhs (which includes costs of interior-exterior, kitchen equipments, manpower, crockery and expenses for permits or licenses etc.) for an area of about 500-880 sq ft. One can start with a lower investment also to gain an ROI of 50,000/month within a year. Thus, a Dhaba business is a lucrative business model however; amount of capital investment will depend on the location, infrastructure, atmosphere, city, menu and human workforce.

For Indian food to taste delicious, the three main ingredients of a majority of the recipes are Salt, Oil and Spices. Similarly, for the road trip to become memorable, the three central elements are good companion, comfortable drive and en-route roadside Dhabas. Long conversations with companions while listening to favourite music and stopping at iconic Dhabas for some lip-smacking food. Over the years, these Dhabas have become an inseparable part of every road journey. North Indian dishes like lachha Paratha, Naan, Palak Paneer, Butter Chicken etc. served in traditional steel thalis with lots of Onions and Green Chillies – an experience that no hotel can match. Witnessing a steady demand already due to low-budget, tasty and quality traditional Indian food, they are a profitable food business option when opened on highways. Dhabas set up as polished fine dine restaurants in urban and metro cities for families, give a fine blend of Indian traditional food with comfort and ambience.

A Project Report is not only essential for obtaining financial assistance from Bank/ Financial Institution/Funding Agency but also the most important document either to participate in the development schemes of MSME Sector/ Department of Industries or in completing various time consuming government formalities connected with planning and commercial operation of the proposed business project.

This Detail Project Report (DPR)/ Business Plan has been developed in a well-structured PDF Format (Easy to Download, Convert into MS WORD through www.pdftoword.com, Edit for Personalised Customisation and Finally Printing the Report) to be presented as a Ready Project Proposal immediately thereby saving precious time of the promoter in the process of completing requisite formalities in anticipation of setting up the business project. Accordingly, following Project Templates has been deliberately left blank in order to facilitate customisation by the perspective entrepreneurs based on personal requirements and furnish necessary information on actual basis.

§ Project at a Glance                                     :             To be Filled Up as per Personal Requirements.

[Total Capital Expenditure, Working Capital, Estimated Cost of the Project, Amount of Bank Loan, Amount of Equity Capital and Amount of applicable Margin Money Subsidy – (Urban/Rural /General Category/ Special Category)].

§ General Information and Location          :             To be Furnished in the Blank Space.

[Name of the Unit/Firm, Address of the Proposed Project Location, Size of the Space Available and Occupancy under Ownership/Lease Agreement].

§ Promoter’s Background                            :             To be Furnished in the Blank Space.

[Name of the Promoter, Age, Communication Address, Educational Qualification, Work Experience and Special Training Attended, if Any].

The Project Report/ Business Plan so presented include all the important aspects containing the following details;

CONTENTS

1. Highlights of the Project
2. Project Introduction
3. The Project Proposal
4. Prospect for Investment
5. Potential Target Customers/Market
6. Marketing Strategy
7. Critical Success Factors
8. Process Details/Menu Design Tips
9. Technical Solutions
10. Installed and Operational Capacity
11. Raw Materials and Consumables
12. Power and Utility
13. Tentative Implementation Schedule
14. Basis & Presumptions
15. Capital Investment Estimates with Detail Project Economics
16. Computation of Working Capital Requirement
17. Estimated Total Project Investment
18. Proposed Means of Project Financing
19. Estimated Annual Sales Turnover
20. Projected Profitability Statement
21. Calculation of Interest Amount
22. Depreciation Schedule
23. Term Loan Repayment Schedule
24. Debt Service Coverage Ratio
25. Break-Even Analysis
26. Projected Cash Flow Statement
27. Projected Balance Sheet
28. Internal Rate Return
29. Pay Back Period

The presentation also supplements with important facts and useful information covering the areas as indicated below;

1. Statutory Permits and Business Licenses Required for Highway Dhaba Business and
2. Important Steps to Start the Project.

LIST OF ENCLOSURES

ENCLOSURE-1: E-BOOK ON SCHEMES FOR MSMEs, MINISTRY OF MSME, GOVT. OF INDIA.

ENCLOSURE-2: SALIENT FEATURES OF MUDRA LOAN SCHEME, MINISTRY OF MSME, GOVT. OF INDIA.

ENCLOSURE-3: FAQ ON MUDRA LOAN SCHEME.

ENCLOSURE-4: BRIEF ABOUT PSB LOANS IN 59 MINUTES SCHEME.

ENCLOSURE-5: FAQ ON PSB LOANS IN 59 MINUTES SCHEME.

Thus the information provided would help in identifying in advance the infrastructure/resources required for the Project and approach the concerned government agencies accordingly. Hence, it becomes a complete document for further action towards realising the dream of becoming an entrepreneur.