Travelling on Uday Express? Check out its new snack vending machines

Though only cash payment option is available at present, cashless transactions will be allowed in the days to come

Do you love munching snacks while travelling on trains? Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has a good news for you! In a first, IRCTC has installed tab-operated automatic vending machines (AVMs) on board the Coimbatore–Bengaluru Uday Express. The AVMs offer a variety of snacks and beverages such as biscuits, chips and other packaged eatables, along with canned juices, aerated drinks, tea and coffee. 

The machines have been installed in three coaches of the Uday Express in the mini-pantry-cum-dining area. According to Railways officials, IRCTC aims to install AVMs for snacks in other trains too.    

Here's what IRCTC has to offer, much to the delight of train passengers:

• AVM is operated by a tab
• Passengers can avail tea/coffee, aerated drinks, canned juices, chips and packaged snacks
• Mode of payment: At present, only cash payment option is available. According to IRCTC, in the days to come, the AVMs will include cashless transactions 

How to operate the AVM?

• Choose the item from the list
• Add to cart
• Make payment for the item
• The quick-to-eat snacks will automatically drops off the dispenser. In case of hot beverages, tea and coffee pour out of the machine 

Exciting, isn't it?

Facts about use of AVMs in Railways:

Though this is the first time IRCTC has installed AVMs for snacks and beverages on trains, the proposal to do so in railway stations was put forward in 2005 under the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance government. Here's what the Railway Ministry's 2005 proposal said: "Installation of AVMs for dispensing hot/cold beverages, particularly on the catering stalls or in standalone mode, is one of the focus areas of platform modernisation. Thrust in this area is necessary with a view to achieve the objective of making station platforms more hygienic, besides improving the quality of service and the image of the Railways. This would replace the existing system of bottles in case of cold drinks and preparation of tea/coffee in case of hot beverages."

The proposal was implemented in 2006 for platforms and stations.

About UDAY Express

The UDAY Express train between Bengaluru in Karnataka and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu was flagged off on June 8 by Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain. UDAY Express is an air-conditioned, 'luxury' double-decker express train aimed at catering to business travellers. The new train has been provided with many modern features such as infotainment system with WiFi, passenger information system based on GPS, passenger-friendly modular fittings in the toilets, solar reflective coating on the roof, diffused LED lighting, artistically designed seat covers, renewed-roller blinds, armrests, as well as window glasses and spray-painted luggage racks. The exterior of the train is bright orange and yellow in colour.