Ludhiana: Covid hiatus: Passengers want hot cooked meals in trains again

Passengers rue that the cooked meals they earlier got in trains used to be included in the fare unlike packed food which has to be bought separately

With the decline in Covid-19 cases and most trains back on track, passengers are demanding resumption of catering services in the trains.

Currently, the rail passengers are getting packed food in the trains which according to them is quite expensive. (HT file photo)

The Northern Railways’ Twitter account also received a few requests about the resumption of the cooked food supply. The service was suspended as a measure to contain the spread of the pandemic.

A few people also reached out to the railway officials in Ludhiana complaining about the hiatus on catering services imposed by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

“The passengers travelling in luxury trains including Amritsar-Delhi Shatabdi contended that when the trains have resumed, and everything is back on track, the railway should also start serving food included in the cost of the fare,” said a senior railway official here.

A Twitter handle, Anand Hindu, criticized the Northern Railways for not serving meals, soup, and snacks in the trains. He ironically suggested the Railways to not spend much on the pantries in the trains as no food is served to the passengers.

Naming an airline, he further tweeted that even airlines have started the hot veg meals for domestic economy class passengers, and thus railways should follow the same.

Find packed food expensive

For now, the rail commuters are getting packed food which according to them, is quite expensive.

“I don’t see any problem in serving normal hot food in the trains now. The packed food which is not even included in the fare is so expensive. I bought packed vegetarian biryani for ₹155 during my trip from Ludhiana to Delhi in Vande Bharat. The taste and the quantity disappointed me. Railways should resume serving fresh hot meals in the trains now,” said Akshay Salwan, a resident of Nehru Nagar.

Tarun Kumar, station director, Ludhiana, said the packed food is served to keep the commuters safe and prevent the spread of Covid-19.

“In case the person who is cooking the food in bulk gets Covid, the infection will be transmitted to all the passengers. Thus, packed food is the safest option,” said Kumar.

A senior railway official said that the railway minister is soon going to hold a meeting in this regard.