01 · Introduction
What is AharaSetu?
AharaSetu — meaning Food Bridge in Sanskrit — is a full-stack MERN web application built to bridge the gap between surplus food at restaurants and people in need, particularly in underserved communities and slum areas across Indian cities.
Every day, restaurants discard enormous quantities of perfectly edible food while millions struggle to find a single meal. AharaSetu creates a structured, accountable platform connecting food donors with receivers through real payments, admin oversight, and end-to-end transaction tracking.
Free Listings
Restaurants donate leftover food at no cost to volunteers and NGOs
Paid Listings
Restaurants offer surplus food at a significantly reduced price
Admin Oversight
Every listing reviewed and approved by admin before going live
Email at Every Step
Automated HTML emails keep all parties informed throughout
The Team
A
Anubhav Singh
Frontend Developer
B
Bhanupratap Reddy
Backend Developer
G
G. Divya
Database Designer
M
Monika Reddy
Testing & Documentation
02 · Problem Statement
The Problem We Solve
| Problem | Who is Affected | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Daily food wastage at restaurants | Restaurants, Environment | Tons of edible food discarded daily |
| Food insecurity in slum areas | Low-income communities | Malnutrition and persistent hunger |
| No centralized digital platform | NGOs and Volunteers | Inefficient food redistribution |
| Lack of real-time coordination | All stakeholders | Uneven, untracked food sharing |
Existing Systems & Their Gaps
| Platform | How it Works | Key Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Too Good To Go | Sells surplus as "surprise bags" | Paid only, no free option, no food transparency |
| Olio | Community food sharing app | No admin oversight or payment system |
| Zomato Feeding India | Restaurant to NGO donations | No volunteer/user involvement |
| Swiggy Hope Not Hunger | Surplus food to NGOs | No real-time tracking or payments |
| Informal Networks | Staff consume surplus food | No accountability or digital tracking |
03 · Technology Stack
MERN Architecture
Built on the MERN stack with industry-standard tools for authentication, payments, and email communications.
Frontend
React.js
UI, routing, state management
Backend
Node.js + Express
REST API and business logic
Database
MongoDB + Mongoose
Data storage and schemas
Auth
JWT Tokens
Secure session management
Payment
Stripe
Real payments and refunds
Email
Nodemailer + Gmail
OTP, receipts, notifications
Forms
Formspree
Contact Us and Report Issue
Version Control
Git + GitHub
Source code management
04 · User Roles
Role-Based Access System
Restaurant
- Post food listings
- Approve/reject claims
- Acknowledge food provided
- View listing IDs
- Report issues
Volunteer
- Browse listings
- Claim food
- Make payments
- Acknowledge pickup
- Report issues
NGO
- Browse listings
- Claim food
- Pay & acknowledge
- Report issues
Admin
- Approve/reject listings
- Complete transactions
- View all data & filters
- Manage reports
Regular User
- Browse listings
- Claim free food
- Contact admin
05 · Features Implemented
Phase 1 — Complete Feature Set
Authentication & Security
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| OTP Registration | 6-digit OTP sent to email, expires in 10 minutes, with resend option | Done |
| Email Verification | Users must verify OTP before login is allowed | Done |
| Auto-verify Admin | Admin accounts auto-verified without OTP requirement | Done |
| JWT Login | Secure login with JSON Web Token, role embedded in token | Done |
| Session Management | sessionStorage — clears automatically on browser close | Done |
| Forgot Password | Reset link sent to email, expires in 15 minutes | Done |
| Reset Password | Secure token-based reset with live validation hints | Done |
Food Listing Management
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Post Food Listing | Title, description, quantity, expiry, type, price, address, phone, email | Done |
| Dual Mode Listings | Free and Paid listings supported on the same platform | Done |
| Admin Approval Workflow | All listings reviewed by admin before going live | Done |
| Listing ID System | Unique MongoDB ID shown to restaurant and admin for tracking | Done |
| Auto-refresh | All pages auto-refresh every 5 seconds for real-time updates | Done |
| Contact Details | Restaurant address, phone, email visible on each listing | Done |
Claim & Payment System
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Claim Food | Volunteers/NGOs claim food listings with one click | Done |
| Stripe Payment | Real Stripe payment integration for paid listings | Done |
| Payment Receipt Email | Volunteer receives HTML receipt email after payment | Done |
| Restaurant Notification Email | Restaurant receives full payment details via email | Done |
| Stripe Refund | Real Stripe refund when restaurant rejects claim | Done |
| Refund Email | Volunteer receives refund confirmation email | Done |
| Restaurant Approval | Restaurant can approve or reject each claim | Done |
Acknowledgement & Completion
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Provides | Restaurant clicks "I Have Provided the Food" button | Done |
| Volunteer Pickup | Volunteer clicks "I Have Picked Up the Food" button | Done |
| Dual Acknowledgement | Admin sees both confirmations before completing transaction | Done |
| Admin Completes | Admin marks transaction complete after both acknowledge | Done |
| Status Visibility | Each role sees role-specific status messages in real time | Done |
Notification System
Restaurant posts food
→ All Admins notified
Admin approves listing
→ Restaurant + All Volunteers/NGOs
Admin rejects listing
→ Restaurant notified
Volunteer claims food
→ Restaurant notified
Restaurant approves claim
→ Volunteer/NGO notified
Restaurant rejects claim
→ Volunteer/NGO notified
Both parties acknowledge
→ All Admins notified
Admin completes transaction
→ Restaurant + Volunteer/NGO
Admin Panel
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard Stats | Total, pending, action needed, completed count widgets | Done |
| Filter Tabs | All / Pending / Approved / Action Needed / Completed / Rejected | Done |
| Listing ID Display | Unique MongoDB ID shown on every listing card | Done |
| Approve/Reject Listings | Admin can approve or reject any submitted listing | Done |
| Complete Transactions | Mark complete after both parties acknowledge | Done |
Contact & Support
| Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Us Page | Formspree-powered form for all users to message admin | Done |
| Report Issue | Volunteers and restaurants report listing-specific problems | Done |
| Pre-filled Listing ID | Report form auto-fills listing ID and title from listing card | Done |
| Issue Categories | Structured predefined issue types for organized admin tracking | Done |
06 · Development Timeline
10-Week Build Journey
Week 01
Project setup, MERN stack installation, folder structure, MongoDB connection, Express server setup
Week 02
User authentication — Register, Login, JWT tokens, role-based access, auth middleware
Week 03
Food listing CRUD — Create, Read, Claim routes, MongoDB models for User and FoodListing
Week 04
Admin panel — Approve/reject listings, role-based dashboard, frontend pages for all roles
Week 05
Payment integration — Stripe payment intent, card processing, real refunds on rejection
Week 06
Email system — Payment receipts, refund notifications, restaurant alerts via Gmail SMTP
Week 07
Acknowledgement system — Restaurant provided, volunteer pickup, admin completion workflow
Week 08
OTP verification — 6-digit OTP on registration, resend, countdown timer, forgot/reset password
Week 09
Notification system — Bell icon, real-time unread count, dropdown, mark read, delete all
Week 10
Contact Us, Report Issue, Listing ID system, auto-refresh, session management, final testing
07 · Application Workflow
How It All Works
Food Listing Flow
1
Restaurant registers and verifies OTP to activate their account
2
Restaurant posts food listing with title, quantity, address, phone, type and price
3
Admin receives bell notification and reviews the listing
4
Admin approves → All volunteers/NGOs notified of new food available
5
Listing goes live on Home page for all users to browse
Claim & Payment Flow
1
Volunteer sees listing on Home page and clicks Claim
2
If free → goes directly to pending restaurant approval
3
If paid → redirected to Stripe payment page with order summary
4
Volunteer enters card details → real Stripe payment processed
5
HTML receipt email sent to volunteer, payment notification sent to restaurant
6
Restaurant approves or rejects the claim from My Listings page
7
If rejected → real Stripe refund issued + refund email sent to volunteer
Acknowledgement & Completion Flow
1
Restaurant clicks "I Have Provided the Food" on My Listings page
2
Volunteer clicks "I Have Picked Up the Food" on My Claims page
3
Admin receives notification: both parties have acknowledged
4
Admin clicks "Mark Transaction as Completed" on Admin Panel
5
Both restaurant and volunteer see Transaction Completed status
08 · Database Schema
MongoDB Data Models
👤 User Schema
nameString
emailString · unique
passwordString · bcrypt
roleEnum · 5 values
isVerifiedBoolean
otpString
otpExpireDate · 10min
resetPasswordTokenString · hashed
resetPasswordExpireDate · 15min
🍱 FoodListing Schema
title, description, quantityString
expiryTimeDate
typeEnum: free | paid
priceNumber · INR
address, phone, contactEmailString
adminApproved, adminRejectedBoolean
statusEnum · 6 states
paymentDone, paymentIdMixed
restaurantProvided, volunteerPickedUp, adminCompletedBoolean
postedBy, claimedByObjectId ref
🔔 Notification Schema
recipientObjectId → User
messageString
typeEnum · 9 types
listingIdObjectId → FoodListing
isReadBoolean
createdAtDate · auto
09 · API Reference
REST API Endpoints
Auth Routes — /api/auth
POST/registerRegister user and send OTP
POST/verify-otpVerify OTP to activate account
POST/resend-otpResend OTP to email
POST/loginLogin and receive JWT token
POST/forgot-passwordSend password reset email
POST/reset-password/:tokenReset password with token
Food Routes — /api/food
GET/PublicGet all approved listings
POST/RestaurantCreate food listing
GET/my-listingsRestaurantGet own listings
PUT/approve-claim/:idRestaurantApprove volunteer claim
PUT/reject-claim/:idRestaurantReject claim and refund
PUT/restaurant-provided/:idRestaurantAcknowledge food provided
PUT/claim/:idVolunteerClaim a listing
PUT/pay/:idVolunteerConfirm Stripe payment
GET/my-claimsVolunteerGet claimed listings
PUT/volunteer-pickedup/:idVolunteerAcknowledge pickup
GET/admin/allAdminGet all listings
PUT/admin/approve/:idAdminApprove listing
PUT/admin/reject/:idAdminReject listing
PUT/admin/complete/:idAdminComplete transaction
Notification Routes — /api/notifications
GET/Get user notifications (last 20)
GET/unread-countGet unread count for bell badge
PUT/mark-all-readMark all notifications as read
PUT/mark-read/:idMark single notification read
DEL/delete-allDelete all notifications
10 · Testing
All 18 Tests Passing
✓ PassRegister with new email → OTP sent to inbox
✓ PassWrong OTP entered → error message shown
✓ PassOTP expires after 10 min → resend option appears
✓ PassLogin without OTP verification → redirect to OTP page
✓ PassLogin with correct credentials → JWT issued
✓ PassPost food as restaurant → listing saved, admin notified
✓ PassAdmin approves listing → listing goes live, all notified
✓ PassAdmin rejects listing → restaurant receives notification
✓ PassVolunteer claims paid food → Stripe payment page shown
✓ PassStripe test card payment → processed, emails sent to both
✓ PassRestaurant rejects claim → real Stripe refund + email
✓ PassBoth parties acknowledge → admin notified to complete
✓ PassAdmin completes transaction → status updated for all
✓ PassForgot password → reset email with 15-min expiry link
✓ PassReport issue with listing ID → submitted via Formspree
✓ PassNotification bell → unread badge count, dropdown works
✓ PassAuto-refresh → all pages update every 5 seconds
✓ PassBrowser close → session cleared, fresh login required
11 · Phase 2 Roadmap
What's Coming Next
High
Rating System
Volunteers rate restaurants 1–5 stars after pickup. Average rating visible on listings.
High
Analytics Dashboard
Admin charts: meals saved, active restaurants, transaction trends, top donors.
Medium
Subscription Plans
Free plan (3 listings/month) vs Premium (unlimited). Stripe subscription billing.
Medium
Map View
Google Maps showing nearby food listings with distance and directions.
Medium
Push Notifications
Browser push notifications alongside the existing in-app bell icon system.
Low
Multi-language
Kannada, Hindi, Tamil support for wider reach across Indian cities.
Low
AI Food Matching
ML-based system matching food types with NGO preferences automatically.
Low
Recurring Listings
Restaurants set up recurring daily listings automatically without re-posting.
Technical Improvements Planned
| Improvement | Technology | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Deployment | Render + Vercel | Backend on Render, frontend on Vercel for public access |
| Cloud Database | MongoDB Atlas | Production-grade cloud database migration |
| Real-time Updates | Socket.io | WebSocket notifications replacing 5-second polling |
| Image Upload | Cloudinary | Food listing photos uploaded and stored in cloud |
| Mobile App | PWA | Install as native app on Android and iOS devices |
| Testing Suite | Jest + RTL | Unit and integration tests for all components and routes |
12 · Conclusion
Phase 1 — Mission Accomplished
Phase 1 of AharaSetu has been successfully completed with a comprehensive feature set addressing the core problems of food wastage and food insecurity. The platform delivers a complete end-to-end solution from food listing to transaction completion, with real Stripe payments, automated email communications, OTP security, and full admin oversight.
AharaSetu is the only platform offering a dual-mode system (free + paid), end-to-end three-party acknowledgement, real Stripe payments with automatic refunds, and admin-gated listing approvals — all in a single unified platform built specifically for the Indian context.
Dual-Mode Platform
Free and paid listings on one unified system — no competitor offers both
Full Lifecycle Tracking
Three-party acknowledgement ensures every transaction is verified
Real Payments
Stripe integration with actual card processing and automatic refunds
Email at Every Step
Automated HTML email notifications keep all parties informed