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Deccan Queen Express: Railways could pull the plug on dining coach
The Deccan Queen is the only passenger train in the country to have a dining car, which was introduced soon after it became operational on June 1, 1930.
The Indian Railways is likely to discontinue the dining coach on the Deccan Queen Express after 89 years because of the rising number of passengers on the Pune-Mumbai route.
Pune’s divisional railway manager, Milind Deouskar, said they have to dedicate a coach for dining on the train while other trains are jam-packed because of an exponential increase in the number of passengers on the 150-km route. “It becomes difficult for us to keep one dedicated coach for the dining car.”
He said, therefore, there is a proposal to discontinue the dinning coach and a decision in this regard will be taken soon.
Deouskar added they will discuss all aspects of ending the dinning system before taking a final call.
The Deccan Queen is the only passenger train in the country to have a dining car, which was introduced soon after it became operational on June 1, 1930.
The car provides comfortable cushioned seating arrangements for 32 passengers.
Masala omelette and vegetable cutlets are among the most popular dishes offered on the dining car. Other dishes offered include batata vada, kanda bhaji, misal paav, thaalipeeth and sabudana khichdi.
Rohit Rathod, a regular traveller, said the dining car has been the centre of attraction on the Deccan Queen.
“Especially in the rainy season, the dining car is a preferred choice of passengers to enjoy various delicacies…”
The train ferries over 1,000 passengers daily. Most of them are lawyers, government employees, businessmen, who live in Pune and work in Mumbai.
