NEW DELHI: The Indian Railway has decided to offer affordable economy meals and packaged drinking water to passengers in general seating (GS) coaches of trains.
“The Railway Board has issued instructions for the provision of economy meals, snacks/combo meals to be served through extended service counters to be placed at platforms near general seating (GS) coaches to facilitate the service of economy meals, snacks/combo meals and affordable packaged drinking water to passengers travelling in GS coaches of the trains,” according to a Railway Board release.
The meals will be supplied from the kitchen units (Refreshment Rooms, RRs, and Jan Ahaars – JAs) of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The location of these counters has been decided by Zonal Railways so as to align these counters with the location of General coaches on platforms. The provision of these extended service counters at the platforms has been done on an experimental basis for a period of six months.
The IRCTC South Zone is undertaking this activity in due coordination with the South Western Railway.
The extended service counters have been commissioned at SSS Hubballi and KSR Bengaluru stations.
Meal Type -1: Economy Meal- 07 Poori (175 gm), Dry Aloo Veg. (150 gm), and Pickle (12 gm) at Rs 20 (including GST).
Meal Type-2: Snack Meal (350 gm) Assortment of South Indian Rice, or Rajma/ Chole – Rice or Khichdi or Kulche/Bhature- Chole or Pao-Bhaji or Masala Dosa at Rs 50 (including GST).
With regard to water, efforts are being made to source glasses of 200 ml packaged drinking water at stations wherever feasible.
Further, more stations are being identified and will be covered for the provision of extended service counters progressively for the availability of economy meals and water. (ANI)