CR withdraws vada pav price hike decision

CR officials have not disclosed why the decision was withdrawn or whether the revised prices will be implemented at a later date

Mumbai: Mumbai’s beloved vada pav has escaped a price hike—for now. Two days after Central Railway (CR) issued an order to increase the prices of food items, including the vada pav, at suburban railway stations, the authority has withdrawn its decision till further notice.

Mumbai, India 19 Mar, 2019: Food on track series – Aram Vada Pav food stall around CSMT station, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, 19 Mar, 2019. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT)

On Monday, CR had issued a directive to hike prices of various food items sold at food stalls across its suburban network from June 1.

Under the proposed revision, the price of vada pav was set to rise by 54%, from ₹13 to ₹20. Similarly, the prices of samosas were to increase from ₹12 to ₹20, ragda pav from ₹20 to ₹25, usal pav from ₹20 to ₹25, dry bhel from ₹20 to ₹25, and chutney bhel from ₹25 to ₹30.

The decision to revise the prices was taken because the cost of almost every ingredient has risen in the recent past, officials said, adding that CR had not revised its food menu prices for about half a decade. In comparison, Western Railway had revised its food stall prices in 2025 and 2021.

However, the decision has now been put on hold. CR’s latest order states: “...the revision of menu & tariff to be enforced from 1/6/2026 may be treated as withheld till further advice from this office.”

CR officials have not disclosed why the decision was withdrawn or whether the revised prices will be implemented at a later date. However, a railway official told HT that continuing to sell snacks at existing prices may not be possible for long, given prevailing inflation trends. “If not revised, food stall operators may eventually withdraw these items from the menu as their margins will not only get squeezed but also make it unsustainable,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

Officials pointed to rising logistics costs following successive fuel price hikes, along with double-digit increases in the prices of key ingredients such as onions, potatoes and cooking oil.