The Ministry of Railways has given Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) flexibility to customise its food menu for trains. These new menus will meet regional and seasonal preferences. The menu will be decided by IRCTC for prepaid trains where catering charges are included in the passenger fare, while the menu of the budget segment items will be decided by IRCTC in other mail and express trains. A-la-carte menu will also be decided by IRCTC.
These new menus will include items of regional cuisine and preferences, seasonal delicacies, requirements during festivals, along with food for groups such as diabetic food, baby food, and health food options.
The ministry said that the menu in prepaid trains will be decided by IRCTC within the tariff already notified. Additionally, a-la-carte meals and branded food items on MRP will also be permitted on these trains. Menu and tariff of a-la-carte meals will be decided by IRCTC.
The menu of budget segment trains like standard meals will be decided by IRCTC within the fixed tariff already notified. Sale of a-la-carte meals and branded food will be allowed on MRP on mail and express trains. Menu and tariff will be decided by IRCTC.
Menu and tariff of janta meals will remain unchanged.
The ministry also said that IRCTC will ensure that the quality and standard of food and service will be maintained as well as safeguards built to avoid undue changes in quality and quality, use of inferior brands etc.
The menu should be commensurate with the tariff and menus would be pre-notified tp passengers and advised to the Railways before introduction, it said.
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