Rail Passengers Will Now Get Regional Food, Customized Food For Diabetes, Kids, & More!

In a first, Railway passengers will now be able to choose their food while traveling by train.

This is especially suitable for diabetics, infants and fitness enthusiasts who can opt for items including millet-based local products and regional dishes.

Culinary delights

The Railway Board gave the IRCTC the flexibility to customize its menu with the objective to improve its food catering services and give more options to passengers.

“As a measure to improve catering services on trains, it has been decided to give IRCTC the flexibility to customise the menu so as to include the items of regional cuisines/preferences, seasonal delicacies, requirement during festivals, food items as per the preferences of different group of passengers such as diabetic food, baby food, health food options, including millet based local products, etc.,” the order read.

Region-specific dishes

Passengers from southern and western states such as Maharashtra would often complain about the lack of regional food choices.

The latest development will help in not only improving the food quality but also allow customisation of the menu according to the destination.

For example, a train to Gujarat will have local delicacies like fafda, dhokla, and vada pav for Maharashtra.

Empowering the IRCTC

A railway official said that this is the first time the board has given the IRCTC such an authority.

For prepaid trains, in which catering charges are included in the fare, the menu will be decided by IRCTC within the tariff that has already been notified.

“In addition, the sale of a-la-carte meals and branded food items on MRP will also be permitted on these prepaid trains. 

Duties and responsibilities

Menu and tariff of such a-la-carte meals will be decided by IRCTC,” the notification stated.

The board also asked the IRCTC to ensure upgradation in quality, the standard of food and service is maintained while preparing the menu.

They also have to make sure that safeguards are built in to avoid frequent and undue changes such as curtailment in quantity and quality, use of inferior brands to avoid passenger grievances, etc.