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  Now, order your food online, IRCTC launches e-catering

Now, order your food online, IRCTC launches e-catering

Published : Mar 21, 2016, 1:42 am IST
Updated : Mar 21, 2016, 1:42 am IST

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has decided to provide on-call food in trains without pantry cars.

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has decided to provide on-call food in trains without pantry cars. Under this initiative, passengers can order pre-cooked meals such as pizza, non-vegetarian food, curries, among others, from vendors when the train is in motion and the order will be delivered to them at the next stop. The IRCTC has launched an e-catering site for the same and is in the process of tying up with fast food and regular eateries with outlets all over specific routes for the service.

According to sources, after IRCTC was handed over the responsibility of providing catering services on all trains, the authorities have been finding ways to cater to the different demands of passengers by introducing new and innovative ideas in the catering system. “Providing e-catering services is one of the ways through which IRCTC will try to satisfy the palates of the long distance travellers,” said the source.

As per rules laid down in the expression of interest format issued by the IRCTC inviting self-help groups (vendors) to join hands with it, IRCTC has said, ‘E-catering project has been launched as a pilot project on e-catering with IRCTC with the objective to facilitate passengers to book meals of their choice. The pilot project has been extended from time to time to cover more trains on Indian Railways. Based on response received from the passengers and the need to ensure provision of catering services to travelling passengers, it has been decided by the ministry of railways to proliferate this scheme on stations so that passengers are to get pre-ordered meals of their choice at stations.’

Currently, IRCTC aims to provide station based e-catering service at 409 A-1 and A Class stations.

An official from the IRCTC west zone said, “IRCTC has already signed MoU’s with Domino’s Pizza, KFC, TFS, WIMPY’s, Street Foods by Punjab Grills, HELLO CURR and many more are expected to be added soon.”

Passengers can either pre-book the food or book online while on the train and the same will be delivered to them, provided it is among the 409 stations that IRCTC will be servicing.