Rail passengers now have a new sattvic (without onion and garlic) food option on their journey, as the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has tied up with the Akshaya Patra Foundation to serve affordable vegetarian meals.

The Akshaya Patra thali, priced at Rs 80, includes roti, rice, dal, a vegetable dish, and pickle—all prepared without onion and garlic. It will be available at select railway stations, through train-side vending (TSV) on trains without pantry cars, and via IRCTC’s e-catering service.

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The facility has already been launched at Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi, and will soon be expanded across all divisions of the North Eastern Railway. Passengers can pre-book meals online through the Food on Track app, by dialling 1323, or by using WhatsApp at 7042062070. Vendors on trains will also carry the sattvic thali alongside standard vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals.

IRCTC officials said that contracted restaurants and hotels have been instructed to ensure delivery of the Akshaya Patra thali directly to passengers’ seats. The e-catering network, currently active at eight key stations including Gorakhpur, Mau, Chhapra, Gonda, Aishbagh, Lucknow Junction, Rudrapur City, and Kathgodam, is being further strengthened with partnerships from reputed city restaurants.

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The Akshaya Patra Foundation, which also implements the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Yojana, is working with IRCTC to enhance meal choices for passengers.

“The initiative will provide hygienic, affordable, and diverse food options to rail passengers, with an emphasis on transparency and convenience,” said Ajit Kumar Sinha, Chief Regional Manager, IRCTC.