Mumbai: The Ministry of Culture has approved a proposal of the Indian Railway to observe October 2 as a ‘Vegetarian Day.’ The day is already observed as Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti and Rashtriya Swachhta Diwas. However, officials from the railways have decided in their wisdom to make vegetable food optional. Both kinds of meals will be served as otherwise it won’t be fair to passengers who have already paid for non-vegetarian meals.
Also, railways logistics are such that it is not possible to intimate all railway stations about the change in diet plan. However, no non-vegetarian food will be served to passengers on railway premises, canteens and dining rooms. There is also a plan to have thematic painting of all stations connected with Mahatma Gandhi and setting up of digital museums depicting the activities of the Father of the Nation. It has also proposed that all divisional headquarter stations and their various administrative buildings and those of the zonal headquarters have murals of Gandhiji.