It has been a few months since Vande Bharat Express began operating regular services in Kerala. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first Vande Bharat in this state on 25 April 2023 and the train began services from 26 April. The semi-high-speed train travelling between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram is now receiving a lot of complaints from the passengers regarding the served meals. But why?
North India Food Is Served In Kerala’s Vande Bharat Express
Passengers travelling on the above-mentioned route are facing some problems due to the kind of meals provided. Though the journey is completely in South India, the train serves the travellers with North Indian meals. And this is the reason behind a lot of recent complaints as well. Many are complaining about the type of food served and their taste. Some are even complaining about the contracts given to North Indian caterers, according to a report by India Posts English.
Also read: Chennai-Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express To Flag Off On Aug 6. Here’s All You Need To Know
What Are The Food Items Served On This Train?
Passengers who opt for vegetarian breakfast get upma. And the breakfast menu for non-vegetarians includes two bread slices and an omelette. Along with these, travellers also get carrots and peas. There are some complaints from passengers stating how these veggies are not cooked properly. Kerala passengers do not really like the lunch and dinner packages at the Vande Bharat Express. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals include ponni rice and 2 chapatis. Most people of Kerala do not like this rice. To complete the meal, parippu and paneer are added to the vegetarian package. And the non-veg package includes only 2 pieces of chicken along with rice and chapatis.
Passengers travelling in the Vande Bharat Express can get these meals en route by selecting the food packages during the process of booking their train tickets. About 80 per cent of travellers in Kerala usually book tickets that provide meals on trains.
The fare to include meals on the train from Thiruvananthapuram:
- Each passenger travelling in economy class needs to pay ₹379 for the food.
- And the fare increases to ₹434 for each executive passenger.
The fare to include meals on the Vande Bharat Express from Kasargod:
- Every passenger travelling in economy class needs to pay ₹308.
- And the cost increases to ₹369 for each executive passenger.
Also read: Vande Bharat Trains All Set To Turn Saffron; Here Are Other Upgrades You Need To Know About It
Have you travelled on the Vande Bharat Express in Kerala?
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons