Indian Railways to revise rates, menu of select express trains

After the fare hike, food will also become costlier for people, tea and coffee will become cheaper and chocolates and tetra pack juices would not be available.u00a0

The menu and tariff of Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains are included in the ticket fare and have not been revised since 1999 whereas the cost of raw material, WPI, index cost of services have increased manifold. With a view to arrive at the realistic prices Committees had been nominated by the Board to recommend the revised rates.

The committees have scientifically examined all aspects of costing keeping the objectives to provide hygiene and affordable meals to the travelling passengers on the premium trains.

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Based on the reports of the committee, the revised menu and tariff have been approved by the Competent Authority and notified. Fixed cyclic menus of 5 menu sets indicating items and brands to be served for all classes of Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains are to be notified so as to provide variety.

A Catering Service Monitoring Cell has been set up in Railway Board with toll free number: 1800111321 to redress the complaints from travelling passengers on real time basis. Stringent quality parameters like supply of branded products in hygienic condition. FPO/AGMARK approved items and compliance of instructions of Food Safety & Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) are to be made mandatory.

Provision for external audit (Third Party Audit) by reputed and independent agency appointed by zonal railways to undertake audit of quality of services periodically to ensure the quality has been made mandatory.

Revised Rates:
- 1AC (Rajdhani/Duronto trains)/Executive Class (Shatabdi trains): - It is proposed to reduce the rate of Morning Tea and Evening Tea by nearly 35% and u00a0 u00a0 u00a030% respectively while the rate of Breakfast, Lunch/Dinner is to be increased by nearly 35% and 15% respectively.

- 2AC/3AC (Rajdhani/Duronto trains)/AC Chair Car (Shatabdi trains): - It is proposed to reduce the rate of Morning Tea and Evening Tea by nearly 40% and u00a0 u00a0 10% respectively while the rate of Breakfast, Lunch/Dinner is to be increased by nearly 65% and 50% respectively.

- The impact on Lunch/Dinner/Breakfast rates will be an increase in the average range of Rs.25/- & Rs. 27/-.

- A new concept of Combo Meal is being introduced as every alternate meal on Rajdhani/Duronto trains which has been priced at half the cost of the regular u00a0 Lunch/Dinner so as to reduce wastage/excess items.

- The decrease in rates is mainly due to deletion of items which were extra/ repetitive in nature (e.g. Éclairs, Tea bags, Fruit Juice etc).

- The increase of rates is due to increase of cost of raw material/ services and WPI as the rates were last revised 14 years back.

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