CR allows stall vendors to sell items directly to platform pax

In a bid to provide better catering services and curb unauthorised hawking at stations, the Mumbai division of Central Railway has permitted platform vendors to sell catering items directly to passengers on platforms.

According to a senior CR official, Mumbai division has given permission for this purpose to 180 platform vendors operating at 11 stations used by mail and express trains.

"These stations are CSMT, LTT, Panvel, Roha, Thane, Asangaon, Igatpuri, Neral, Karjat, Lonavala and Bhiwandi Road. This decision has now come into effect," said CR chief public relations officer Sunil Udasi.

He said platform vending licenses have been provided to existing catering licensees of Mumbai Division for an additional fee.

Until now, vendors were allowed to sell catering items only from their stalls, and were not supposed to reach out to passengers on platforms.

Udasi informed that CR had planned to increase the number of authorised platform vendors and was persuading existing catering licensees to have more platform vendors.

"This will help in curbing unauthorised hawking. Passengers will have the advantage of getting regulated, better quality food instantly on platforms," he said.

Udasi said CR has decided to launch a drive against unauthorised hawkers in coordination with the RPF and civic bodies of Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan-Dombivali to make 150-meter periphery of stations hawker-free.