Food hawkers operating at suburban railway stations within Pune division may be forced to cease their cooking activities following a recent circular issued by the Central Railway which prohibits all cooking activities on platforms, regardless of the method used.
The decision follows a recent fire incident at the “Jan Aahar” canteen in Lokmanya Tilak Terminus railway station. The circular permits cooking through electrical appliances only at non-suburban stations. This directive is enforced across all suburban stations from Pune to Malavli railway stations.
Safety measure after Jan Aahar canteen incident
According to a report in The Indian Expresss, the Pune Division has instructed all licensed food establishments including food plazas, fast food units, Jan Ahaar canteens, refreshment rooms, tea stalls, milk stalls, and others to cease cooking activities on platforms. However, proprietors of private food stalls and hotels on platforms argue that if authorities are enforcing the rule, they should provide alternative arrangements.
According to railway officials, the regulations apply to hotels and restaurants within ISRTC jurisdiction, with the exception of restaurants having separate kitchen units located significantly away from the platforms.
The manager of Food Express Services noted that while they have received guidelines regarding the ban on cooking within platform areas, they strictly adhere to safety measures with a separate kitchen chamber for food preparation. Similarly, the owner of Siddhivinayak Food Services confirmed that their hotel has separate arrangements for food preparation, with the kitchen unit situated a considerable distance from the platform.
Impact only on food stalls operating at platforms
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Milind Hirve clarified that the rules apply only to food or tea stalls within the circulating area of the platform, excluding those outside the circulating region.
Harsha Shah, president of the Railway Pravasi Manch, criticized the ban as unnecessary and potentially inconvenient for passengers. He argued that while safety concerns should be addressed, prohibiting cooking activities would only add to the passengers’ inconvenience.
The affected stations include Pune, Shivajinagar, Khadki, Dapodi, Kasarwadi, Pimpri, Chinchwad, Akurdi, Dehu Road, Begdewadi, Talegaon, Vadgaon, Kamshet, and Malavli.
