Your Typical Rail Khana Has Changed
Trains take more time than planes to take you to your destination. Yet, people love train journeys. It is unmatched. Today, thanks to new government policies and the modernization of Indian railways, you can enjoy various benefits on train. One of them is e-catering.
Rail khana was often scorned for its bad quality and boring menus; but station based e-catering services have changed the scenario. These outlets deliver fresh, hygienic food to passengers on their seats.
What happened with pantry cars?
Many long distance trains have pantry cars. However, it seems these dining cars have lost out to e-catering, probably, due to their carelessness, overcharging, unhygienic conditions, and bad quality of food. Passengers were also found to be fed up of same old menus in pantry cars.
If only the pantry car officials had taken a little more care and interest to keep the cars clean and to make it a haven for tasty, fresh meals, passengers could spend a nicer time in trains.
The birth of e-catering
After much commotion and complaints, finally, the Railway Ministry of India have woken up and smelled the coffee…and found that the coffee was stale! So, they got into action and released a new catering policy in 2017. This empowers the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to manage various station-based e-catering outlets, food plazas, Jan Aahar units, Automatic Vendor Machines, and more.
This is not a one-time process. E-catering is a continuously expanding process that requires constant improvisation too. It all started with 45 stations and a few big names from the food industry to deliver meals to passengers. Today, with a grand success in hand, IRCTC is looking forward for newer ideas and more e-catering outlets.
The network of e-catering is expanding. Efforts are on to cover the entire nation. At present, all new train routes feature this service. Old routes are, gradually, adopting this facility.
Although people love to pack food from home…this is a deep-rooted Indian habit…but people still wish to taste rail food. When they are shelling out so much money on train tickets they expect to get good food. Indian railways can be called modernized and technology-driven only when travelers are satisfied on all aspects of train travel. Food forms an essential aspect.
E-catering process
This is no complicated process. Just take out your smart phone. Open IRCTC’s official website or download an app. Enter the e-catering section. Enter your train number. Choose the station. Choose your menu. Place an order. Pay through debit card or credit card. Enjoy your food at your berth!
Those with no smart phones can call a toll free number or send sms to 139 after entering their train number and seat number. If you have no plastic money, pay in cash when the food is delivered at your seat.
Quality of rail khana has changed. Things are not the same now. You can bid adieu to those spicy, oily stuff sold by local vendors on platforms. Order from brand names like Dominos, Haldirams, Sagar Ratna, KFC, and others. Enjoy your journey; enjoy your food.
Rail khana was often scorned for its bad quality and boring menus; but station based e-catering services have changed the scenario. These outlets deliver fresh, hygienic food to passengers on their seats.
What happened with pantry cars?
Many long distance trains have pantry cars. However, it seems these dining cars have lost out to e-catering, probably, due to their carelessness, overcharging, unhygienic conditions, and bad quality of food. Passengers were also found to be fed up of same old menus in pantry cars.
If only the pantry car officials had taken a little more care and interest to keep the cars clean and to make it a haven for tasty, fresh meals, passengers could spend a nicer time in trains.
The birth of e-catering
After much commotion and complaints, finally, the Railway Ministry of India have woken up and smelled the coffee…and found that the coffee was stale! So, they got into action and released a new catering policy in 2017. This empowers the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to manage various station-based e-catering outlets, food plazas, Jan Aahar units, Automatic Vendor Machines, and more.
This is not a one-time process. E-catering is a continuously expanding process that requires constant improvisation too. It all started with 45 stations and a few big names from the food industry to deliver meals to passengers. Today, with a grand success in hand, IRCTC is looking forward for newer ideas and more e-catering outlets.
The network of e-catering is expanding. Efforts are on to cover the entire nation. At present, all new train routes feature this service. Old routes are, gradually, adopting this facility.
Although people love to pack food from home…this is a deep-rooted Indian habit…but people still wish to taste rail food. When they are shelling out so much money on train tickets they expect to get good food. Indian railways can be called modernized and technology-driven only when travelers are satisfied on all aspects of train travel. Food forms an essential aspect.
E-catering process
This is no complicated process. Just take out your smart phone. Open IRCTC’s official website or download an app. Enter the e-catering section. Enter your train number. Choose the station. Choose your menu. Place an order. Pay through debit card or credit card. Enjoy your food at your berth!
Those with no smart phones can call a toll free number or send sms to 139 after entering their train number and seat number. If you have no plastic money, pay in cash when the food is delivered at your seat.
Quality of rail khana has changed. Things are not the same now. You can bid adieu to those spicy, oily stuff sold by local vendors on platforms. Order from brand names like Dominos, Haldirams, Sagar Ratna, KFC, and others. Enjoy your journey; enjoy your food.
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