Published On:Saturday, April 5, 2014
Posted by Unknown
IRCTC’s ‘Dial-a-Meal’
Are you in a hurry to catch the train and don’t have time to have a quick bite or unhappy of eating food items served in the train?
Even though there are several food plazas operating in Chennai Central Railway Station, travellers often voiced their concern about the rates and quality of food items served. To help the travellers, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) South Zone has introduced a ‘Dial-a-Meal’ concept by joining hands with Ratna Café in Chennai Central Railway Station. This is being done after carrying out a trial run at Trivandrum Railway Station for the last one month.
All that an inbound or outbound traveller/visitor to the station has to do is to dial a designated number (90432 77777) just 40 minutes in advance and place an order for food items from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. It would be more useful to those arriving at Chennai Central at odd hours, said an IRCTC official
Talking to Media, the official said: “We have about 14 food courts operating in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We are asking them to do this as an additional service at major stations. The service providers will not be collecting any money from anyone, until they deliver food packets. As food vendors are not allowed to enter the platform or the compartment with valid ticket, it would be the responsibility of the customer to pick up the items from the food stall after paying the amount.”
According to Ratna Café, Chief Executive Officer, Lokesh Gupta, the menu would have about 100 different types of items ranging from tiffin, snacks, sweets, briyani to mini-meals. On reaching the stall, the customer has to cite the reference number, pay the amount and pick-up the food items. “It would be a hassle-free process. Next in line would be the introduction of web-based reservation system,” he said.
