VIJAYAWADA, MAY 10. With the concept of food plazas in railway stations for providing quality food to passengers turning out to be an instant hit, the South Central Railway (SCR) authorities are proposing to extend the facility to all major stations in the State before the year-end.
Efforts have been initiated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to set up food plazas at important junctions like Rajahmundry and Secunderabad. In all, it is planned to set up 18 food plazas in different parts. Similar facilities would be extended to important stations like Lakdikapul, Malakpet and Necklace Road on the MMTS routes.
Efforts have been initiated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to set up food plazas at important junctions like Rajahmundry and Secunderabad. In all, it is planned to set up 18 food plazas in different parts. Similar facilities would be extended to important stations like Lakdikapul, Malakpet and Necklace Road on the MMTS routes.
The food plaza at Rajahmundry is expected to be inaugurated in a couple of months which will be followed by the inauguration of a similar facility at Secunderabad. Efforts are under way to ensure that work on the 18 food plazas are completed by December, according to the General Manager of the SCR, T. Stanley Babu.
Mr. Babu was here in connection with the inauguration of `Comesum' Food Plaza, the second of its kind in the State after the one at Tirupati, at Vijayawada railway station. Set up in association with R.K. Associates, the food plaza offers a variety of food items to passengers as well as outsiders for whom a carry-away counter has been opened.
Mr. Babu said the railways embarked upon food plazas following complaints on the quality of food being provided to passengers. "Catering is a specialised subject on which the railways could not concentrate owing to its responsibility of looking after the passenger needs and their safety. But, the railways has finally ventured into the concept by setting up a separate corporation, IRCTC, to take care of catering,'' he said.
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