Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 8

Even as the Railways stopped the pantry service in Shatabdi as per the Covid-19 guidelines, eatables are freely available in these trains. Passengers rue that the character of the flagship train – Shatabdi – has changed by not serving meals onboard. They had to shell out more to buy eatables from vendors, who boarded trains.

An IT professional Kuljot Singh Gabarhia, who frequently travels by Shatabdi, questions the logic behind the ban on serving meals in train compartments when these are freely available at a price.

He frequently travels to the National Capital Region (NCR) due to professional requirement. The Railways had stopped onboard pantries to maintain distance among passengers due to the Covid-19 pandemic, said Gabarhia. However, people were coming with loads of water bottles, cartons of packets and other eatables to sell to passengers on board Shatabdi, Gabarhia added. “This practice equally contributes to congestion and brings people close enough to spread Covid infection if any,” said Gabarhia.

He pointed out that the Railway was charging above Rs1,100 per passenger for travel between Amritsar and Delhi. Earlier, onboard meals were served to passengers in Shatabdi before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Gabarhia added.

Satinder Singh, a senior citizen, said, “Railway discontinued concession to senior citizens in order to avoid congestion in trains in the wake of the pandemic. Now, the entire situation has turned normal. Even then, the Railway is reluctant to give concession to the aged and infirm passengers despite the fact that many people visit the National Capital for availing quality health services and other works.”

Railway officials said the basic fare of both morning and evening Shatabdi was Rs720 for AC chair car. This fare was flexible and could be hiked depending upon the rule of demand and supply, officials added. Fare of a seat in the first AC or executive class was fixed at Rs1400, said officials.

The cost of meal was not included in the ticket after the pantry on board Shatabdi was closed due to the Covid-19 protocol, officials added. Packed eatables were sold as cooking was prohibited due to new rules, said officials. The decision on changing rules was taken at the headquarter level, officials added.