With Covid pandemic almost controlled across the country, the Centre on Friday decided to resume cooked meals on all trains of Indian Railways by February 14. The full catering services were suspended as a safety measure against the corona virus pandemic on March 23, 2019.

Cooked food services facilitated by railway’s catering arm Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) was restored in 80 percent of trains last month, the Ministry of Railways gave the go ahead for 100 percent on board catering services which includes all the Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi trains, Duronto, Tejas and Humsafar and all express and mail where catering existed pre covid restrictions.

Ready-to-eat meals will also be continued to be served on demand. Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent unprecedented lockdown, e-catering services were also suspended on March 22, 2020 and the same will be restored now as per an IRCTC statement. Cooked food services were restored in 80% of trains in January, 2022.

“The IRCTC has been at the forefront of providing premium services to passengers of Indian Railways. With the requirement of travelling passengers and easing of COVID lockdown restrictions across the country IRCTC is all set to resume the services of cooked food in trains.

The restoration of cooked food has been done as per guidelines received from Railway board. Cooked food has already been restored in 428 trains. Of the total no. of trains cooked food had already been restored in 30 percent by December 21, 80 percent by January 22 and the remaining 20 percent shall be restored by February 14, 2022. Cooked food on premium trains (Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto) had already been restored in December last year. Ready to eat meals would also continue,” the IRCTC statement mentioned.