Railway stations across Ranchi Division are likely be lit up with price war between packaged drinking water and potable drinking water of mineral quality grade as almost all stations under the division will be equipped with water vending machines (WVMs) that will provide chilled water at half the cost of the packaged drinking water.
The plan is a part of the pan-India initiative by Ministry of Railways to quench thirst of people of all social class with clean and hygienic drinking water through WVMs working on ‘Reverse Osmosis’ (RO) technology or alternate superior technology the choice of which has been left at the discretion of the Divisional Railway Manager. The entire project will be coordinated by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation limited (IRCTC).
“We have yet to shortlist names of the stations and the tender process is also underway. Decision regarding stations where the vending machines will be installed would be known in two months,” said Public Relations Officer of IRCTC, Sandip Dutta.The WVMs would be installed at all stations of categories (A1, A, B, C, D, E) and it will be managed through a private vendor which will be provided space by the Railway administration. A letter to all Chief Commercial Managers of all Railway Zones have been sent by Railway Board on June 16 seeking preliminary actions like assessment of contaminants in the water supplied to a station to decide the technology that will be adopted for filtration.
“Right now the circular has not reached to us. So we cannot comment about that. Still, passengers at Ranchi and Hatia Railway stations might pay but it seems difficult at smaller stations like Bano. Yet, I have my fingers crossed regarding the economic viability of those machines at D and E category stations,” said Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Ranchi Railway, Neeraj Kumar.
Notably, water will be available in measures of 300 ml, half-litre, 1-litre, 2-litre, 5-litres and the passengers will have to carry their own container for filling water that will cost one rupee, Rs 3, Rs 5, Rs 8 and Rs 20 respectively refilling the container. Food grade container will also be made available for sale separately however the cost would still be less than the standard one-litre of packaged drinking water that is sold at Rs 15 for one-litre bottle.Incidentally, around 7,500 WMVs will be installed at 1,100 busy stations in the first phase and gradually more stations will be provided with such facility.
