IRCTC Update: Within a month of its launch, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has changed the food menu options on the Vande Bharat sleeper train. Now, passengers travelling on the Howrah-Kamakhya-Howrah Vande Bharat sleeper train (Train No: 27575/27576) can choose between veg and non-veg food options at the time of ticket booking.
The move followed criticism from passengers and a growing political controversy, with many passengers criticising the railways for not providing non-vegetarian food.
On February 1, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced that non-vegetarian food options would soon be introduced on the Vande Bharat sleeper train. Earlier, according to the menu released by the IRCTC, non-vegetarian options, including fish and meat, were not available to passengers.
In a statement, IRCTC said, "Taking inspiration from the rich culinary traditions of Northeast India and Bengal, the onboard menu of this train incorporates authentic regional flavours and passengers are served popular Bengali dishes as well as traditional Assamese cuisine. Apart from these delicious dishes, passengers can now also enjoy chicken-based non-veg food. This new cuisine has been warmly welcomed by passengers from the region, making their journey a truly delicious experience."
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What's On The Menu?
The new provision allows passengers to choose from a vegetarian paneer masala or a non-vegetarian chicken dish, consisting of 50-60 grams of boneless chicken in 70 grams of gravy, prepared in Bengali or Assamese style. The rest of the food menu, which includes jeera corn pulao, tehdar paratha, mixed dal, Assamese-style beans, and rasgulla, will remain the same.
The premium train, which was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 17 and started regular service from January 22, had received complaints from some passengers about the lack of non-veg food.
The issue quickly became a political issue in West Bengal, where the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "policing plates" and trying to control eating habits.