[Resolved]  Southern Railways — Unreasonable and unrealistic Rates of Eatables.

Address:

Kolar, Karnataka

The Divisional Commercial authorities of Madras Division, Southern Railways have engaged TRIPLICANE RATNA CAFE as one of the fast food outlet at Chennai Central railway station. Recently I had been to this outlet to buy tiffin i.e. idli and medu vada. Per parcel of 2 Nos. idli costs Rs.30/- @ Rs.15/- each and cost of 1 No. vada at the rate of Rs.25/-. Rates of both the items at the weights that they supply is uunrealistic, unreasonable and beyond imagination of a common railway passenger. Certainly these rates you can see only in Star hotels not in a common places like railway stations, bus stands, etc. Parcel was packed with a tissue paper, a plastic spoon and sambar but no chutney in a carry bag. Both idli and vada are not even having normal size. My thought about the rates of these items came only after getting into the train. Certainly rates of other items like dosa, pongal, etc. would be sky high. To compare, IRCTC's rate on train is Rs.25/- for 2 Nos. idlis and a vada with chutney and sambar, masala dosa is Rs.20/- per dosa,etc. Of course, quality of items by Ratna Cafe was superb whereas IRCTC's is good but more than sufficient for a train traveller.

I wonder whether Railway authorities, while deciding on awarding contract, take into account the rates of eatable also. Railways should mind that the travelling public are not just from the high strata of the society but majority of them are from below that category and below poverty line also. Railways by not worrying about such aspects before engaging them on contract are riding on the gullible travelling public. It is my demand with the Commercial authories of Madras Division to relook into the rates of Ratna Cafe and go for revision before the subject blows into disproportionate levels by the local consumer organisations, to whom I wanted to write about not only about Ratna Cafe but also other fast food outlets of 'big names' having disproportionate rates.

I would like to inform you that I have been made as a member in the Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee, Bangalore division, South Western Railways, which has been reconstituted only on 1st March 2013. I will take up this issue in other modes also.R Ram Mohan