Pack your dinner before the train leaves! The pantry car’s night service has been suspended, creating a new problem for passengers IRCTC New Food Rule: Now food will not be available in trains from 11 pm to 6 am, know why Railways took this sudden decision

If you also often travel in trains and are fond of staying up late to have dinner or sipping hot tea at midnight, then this new rule of Railways is going to completely change your habit. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has issued a very strict and big order regarding the food and drink arrangements in trains, which is going to have a direct impact on the passengers traveling long distances.

According to the new rule, now late night meals or any kind of catering facility will not be provided in trains. Pantry car services will be completely halted at night, which may increase the problems of those passengers traveling late at night who rely only on the train.

What is the new time table of IRCTC?

According to the new guidelines issued by the Railways, the working hours of the pantry car in trains have been completely limited. Its main points are as follows:

• Downtime: at night From 11:00 am to 06:00 am Pantry car services will remain completely closed.

• What will not be available: During this time period (7 hours), passengers will neither be able to have dinner nor tea, coffee or normal snacks.

• Ban on hot water also: The facility of hot water for milk or medicine for children will also not be made available from the pantry during this period.

Pantry Car Service: What changed under the new rules?

For the convenience of passengers, the new timings and restrictions can be easily understood through the table given below:

After all, why did the Railways take this big decision?

IRCTC has cited cleanliness and health of passengers as the reason behind suddenly stopping the night service of Pantry Car. Officials say that:

“This 7-hour night time will be used for deep cleaning of the pantry car and maintenance of the machines. Our aim is to serve completely clean, bacteria-free and hygienic food to the passengers during the day. Due to continuous operation of the pantry, sufficient time was not available for cleaning, to improve which it was very important to take this step.”

Passengers will face this new challenge

After the implementation of this new rule, passengers traveling late at night will either have to pack tiffin from their home or satisfy their hunger from the food stalls available at major stations before the train leaves.

Apart from this, there is another aspect of this decision which may irk the passengers. Experts believe that due to the closure of the official pantry car at night, Unauthorized Vendors Can be active. Taking advantage of the absence of authorized staff, these illegal vendors can board the trains in the dark of night and, taking advantage of the compulsion, can charge passengers double the fixed price for water bottles, tea or biscuits, which can have a negative impact on both the safety of passengers and the image of the Railways.

Useful tips for travelers

• Order on time: If you depend on train food, book your dinner before 10:00 pm and collect it before 11:00 pm.

• Carry a thermos: If you are traveling with small children or elderly people who need hot water or milk at night, then fill a good quality insulated (thermos) bottle with hot water from home and carry it with you.

• E-Catering Option: You can also schedule food delivery in advance through IRCTC’s official e-Catering app before 11:00 pm at major junction stations.