Indian Railway firm IRCTC has collaborated with online food delivery platform Swiggy to supply pre-ordered meals by train passengers via IRCTC’s e-catering portal to stations initially in Bangalore, Bhubaneswar and others. The tie-up will bolster Swiggy’s volumes while expanding IRCTC’s services reach.
Phased Launch Across Key Cities
Under the partnership, Swiggy will handle fulfillment of food orders booked in advance by rail commuters on IRCTC’s e-catering website/app and deliver the meals at stations in major cities.
The facility will go live first in Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, before covering more stations in subsequent phases after gauging operational stability and customer traction.
Aims Wider Access to Food Options
IRCTC highlighted that the latest collaboration aligns with its strategy of engaging multiple partners across food delivery space to extend e-catering access to a larger train passenger base and offer wider cuisine choices as options grow.
Earlier, IRCTC had also tied up with Zomato for introducing station food delivery at select destinations, underscoring its focus on boosting services leveraging aggregator partnerships.
To Aid Swiggy’s Volumes
For Swiggy, the high passenger footfall across stations covered in phases will drive considerable uptick in daily orders processed, boosting order volumes as it heads for a 2024 IPO at a $11 billion target valuation.
IRCTC’s large captive commuter base provides Swiggy a scalable, stable channel supporting its next growth phase before listing.
