E-Paper
No chai, coffee or cooked food at Pune railway station grocery kiosks
The move aims to bring uniformity to the items sold at railway station kiosks, improve passenger convenience, and ensure better hygiene
Prefer HTon Google
In a decision taken on Monday, October 19, 2026, grocery kiosks at Pune railway station will be allowed to sell essential provisions, packaged snacks, beverages and daily-use products however cooked food, tea and coffee will be prohibited under Central Railway’s (CR’s) new guidelines. The move aims to bring uniformity to the items sold at railway station kiosks, improve passenger convenience, and ensure better hygiene as part of the Special Cleanliness Campaign 6.0.
The CR has awarded contracts for grocery kiosks at railway- stations and premises across all its divisions under the non-fare revenue (NFR) initiative. The standardised list specifies the products that kiosk operators can sell, with the objective of providing passengers access to essential commodities, branded products and household items at reasonable rates during their journeys. Permitted items include staples such as rice, wheat, other foodgrains, flour, pulses, lentils, edible oils, sugar, jaggery, salt, spices and dry fruits. Kiosks can also sell railway-approved brands of packaged drinking water, juices, energy drinks and soft drinks, along with packaged snacks such as biscuits, popcorn and chips, instant noodles, ready-to-eat foods, sauces, jams and pickles.
“Dairy and bakery products will also be permitted, along with frozen and refrigerated items such as ready-to-cook parathas, cutlets and nuggets. Ice cream can be sold using a medium-sized deep freezer. Personal care and hygiene products, including soap, shampoo, toothpaste, detergent, tissues, napkins and toilet paper, will also be allowed. The list further includes baby-care products such as diapers, baby food and wipes, as well as pet food, pet-care items, stationery and small utility products. However, cooked food, tea and coffee have been specifically excluded from the items permitted for sale at grocery kiosks,” said Hemant Kumar Behera, Pune railway division spokesperson.
The CR has also made compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations mandatory for kiosk operators. Vendors must maintain cleanliness in and around their stalls and provide dustbins with garbage bags within a radius of around one metre. These conditions are intended to ensure proper waste disposal and maintain hygiene in busy passenger areas.
Santosh Madane, a passenger at Pune railway station, said, “I understand the need to maintain cleanliness at railway stations, but banning tea, coffee and cooked food at grocery kiosks will inconvenience passengers, especially those waiting for delayed trains or travelling early in the morning. Not everyone has the time to visit food stalls or restaurants, and a quick cup of tea or a simple meal at a grocery kiosk can be very helpful.”
The railway administration said that the standardisation will help prevent unauthorised vending and strengthen its NFR through transparent and passenger-friendly commercial facilities. For passengers using Pune railway station and other stations across the CR, the guidelines will define the range of everyday essentials available at grocery kiosks while ensuring greater consistency in the products sold and the hygiene standards maintained.
