PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, July 20: In an attempt to further improve amenities for passengers, the Railway Board announced the provision of economy meals (Janta Khana) and affordable packaged drinking water at platforms near the General Seating (GS) coaches.
The extended service counters have been commissioned at various stations of Jharkhand including Ranchi, Dhanbad and Chakradharpur in the first phase.
Further, more stations are being identified and will soon be covered for the provision of extended service counters offering economy meals and packaged drinking water.
GS coaches are second-class unreserved coaches. Normally every train including mail/express trains have at least two GS coaches one near the locomotive and one at the end of the train. Anyone with a general/unreserved ticket bought from the counter can travel in those coaches.
Notably, the Railway Board vide a letter issued last month suggesting the provision of economy meals, snacks/combo meals to be served through extended service counters to be placed at platform near GS coaches to facilitate service of economy meals, snacks/combo meals and affordable packaged drinking water to passengers travelling in GS coaches of the trains.
The meals are to be supplied from the kitchen units (Refreshment Rooms and Jan Ahaars) of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The location of these counters is to be decided by zonal railways so as to align these counters with the location of GS coaches on platforms. The provision of these extended service counters at the platforms has been done on an experimental basis for a period of six months.
IRCTC zones have been advised to implement the services through the kitchen units (Refreshment Rooms and Jan Aahars) for facilitating passengers of GS coaches with economy and snack meals along with affordable packaged drinking water.
IRCTC Zones have also been advised to undertake this activity in due coordination with Zonal Railways.
