Passengers at Central have few food options

Passengers at Central have few food options

Ayyappan.V@timesgroup.com

Chennai:31.01.2021

Passengers have very few options for buying food at MGR Central railway station and Egmore railway station as IRCTC’s attempt to start retail units including a food plaza is yet to take off.

There were no takers for tenders floated four times for setting up a refreshment room in the space at Central where Jan Aahaar stood and steps are being taken to identify a firm to run a fast food unit and food plaza though they were shut during the Covid-19 shutdown. Similar is the scene at Egmore and Arakkonam stations even though the number of trains and patronage have started touching pre-Covid levels. Last month, IRCTC asked Southern Railway to allow them to hire contractors for the space used for selling food at Central and Arakkonam, nearly two months after they were closed due to losses during the lockdown.

The railway-owned corporation is also facing a peculiar problem of contractors not bidding. “There seems to be no attempt to attract bidders. The terms should be marketdriven. But too many rules and regulations may be restricting,” said a source.

Instead of making it as easy as possible to bid, the corporation is asks contractors to pay for the huge kitchen equipment owned by IRCTC. According to the tender notice, the contractor will have to buy kitchen equipment used in Jan Aaahaar stall at Central like bratt pan and vegetable cutting machine though only a refreshment room is going to be set up in the space. These pieces of equipment cost more than ₹1lakh each.

An IRCTC official said steps were being taken to help contractors. “We have refunded 90% of the licence fee and there is a plan to give back a part of the security deposit too. The tender will be for five years and they need to start paying only after regular train services resume. Now, specials are being run.” He said advance deposit too has been scrapped. "Steps are being taken to ensure businesses take place. The kitchen equipment were bought by IRCTC when railways planned modernization. They will have to be bought. They can bring their equipment too," he added. Southern railway too hesitates to take over the space and run food outlets. Other zones have started taking over space given to IRCTC at some of the stations.

Consumer activist T Sadagopan said, “Railways should come up with a temporary arrangement as it will be difficult to float a tender and find a contractor to open food outlets during the pandemic. They can tie up with the state government, SHGs and societies to set up the amenities. People pay more to travel by special trains as passenger services are not there. So it's the duty of the railways to offer the service at stations.”