Passengers traveling on Vande Bharat trains can now purchase food onboard, even if they didn’t opt for a meal while booking their tickets, the Railway Board said on Friday.
In a circular addressed to the chairman and managing director of IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation), the Railway Board said, “To enhance passenger convenience and ensure adequate catering services, the sale of food items on Vande Bharat trains may be resumed by IRCTC for current booking and non-optee passengers.”
The board further added that in addition to customized Ready-to-Eat (RTE) meal options, freshly cooked meals would also be offered. This decision comes after frequent complaints from passengers who were denied food onboard simply because they hadn’t pre-selected a meal during ticket booking.
“Often it happens that you do not select a pre-paid food option at the time of booking but circumstances arise during the journey that you want to purchase food. In such cases, the IRCTC staff refused to offer food even on paying its cost to such passengers. Now, as a policy matter, we have decided that non-optee passengers can also avail safe and quality food in the train,” a railway official said, PTI reported.
The Board’s circular urged IRCTC to take all necessary measures to ensure service of good quality hygienic food to the passengers in trains.
“Further, to avoid any inconvenience to passengers, IRCTC should ensure sale through trolleys within the regulated timings and no vending will be allowed after 2100 hrs (9 pm) or dinner service whichever is earlier,” the Board said.