IRCTC given flexibility to customize food menu in trains
New Delhi: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation or IRCTC will now have the flexibility to customize the menu so as to include the items of regional cuisines or preferences, seasonal delicacies, and special requirements during festivals.
Also, food items as per the preferences of a different group of passengers such as diabetic food, baby food, and health food options including millet-based local products can be taken care of.
Accordingly, the competent authority under the Ministry of Railways has accorded approval to this proposal.
For prepaid trains in which catering charges are included in the passenger fare, the menu shall be decided by IRCTC within the tariff already notified. In addition, the sale of a-la-carte meals and branded food items on MRP will also be permitted in these prepaid trains. Menu and tariff of such a-la-carte meals will be decided by IRCTC, the Ministry of Railways said in a statement on Tuesday.
For other Mail/Express trains, the menu of budget segment items like standard meals shall be decided by IRCTC within the fixed tariff already notified. The menu and tariff of Janta Meals shall remain unchanged.
Sale of a-la-carte meals and branded food items on MRP will be permitted on Mail/Express trains. Menu and tariff of such a-la-carte meals will be decided by IRCTC, the ministry said in the statement.
While deciding the menu, IRCTC shall ensure that upgradation in quality and standards of food and service is maintained and safeguards are built in to avoid frequent and undue changes such as curtailment in quantity and quality, and use of inferior brands to avoid passenger grievances.
The ministry said the menu should be commensurate with the tariff and menus are pre-notified for information of passengers and advised to Railways before introduction.
