The Railway Board has given IRCTC the nod to open catering and vending units at the stations. However, food plazas and refreshment rooms will only be available for takeaways.
Catering and vending units include shops selling packaged goods, essential items, pharmacy, bookstalls and similar shops that were shut due to the nationwide lockdown.
Railway zones have been seeking necessary guidelines from the board to open the catering units.
The order from the Railway Board said, ‘Zonal Railways and IRCTC are advised to follow necessary steps for the opening of all Static Catering and Vending Units at Railway Stations with immediate effect. In the case of Food Plaza/Refreshment Rooms, booked items may be served as takeaway only.’
On another note, almost 1.50 lakh tickets were sold within two hours of opening of the bookings of 100 pairs of passenger trains that are scheduled to start from June 1.
