Indian Railways may restore on-board catering services soon as Covid-19 cases as the Passenger Amenities Committee (PAC) is set to meet in the last week of October to decide on the same.
The PAC, a statutory organisation body under the Ministry of Railways, is likely to take a decision to restore the food catering services which have been suspended for 18 months due to Covid-19.
The panel may also discuss other matters including starting a base kitchen and an onboard kitchen service.
As railways received requests from many passengers and passenger associations to restore the onboard catering services, the regular catering service could soon start in trains, said the official.
At present, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) offers an on-board catering service in trains. Previously, the pantry facility was provided in 19 Rajdhani, 2 Tejas, 1 Gatimaan, 1 Vande Bharat, 22 Shatabdi, 19 Duronto and 296 Mail/Express trains.
The IRCTC is also talking with food aggregators on building a large-scale delivery network to ensure delivery of fresh food delivery from restaurants to passengers at his/her seat.
Though IRCTC currently offering e-catering services, these are available at limited stations and restaurants due to logistical issues.
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