New Delhi: For passengers, drinking tea from a vendor while traveling in trains like Shatabdi Express can prove to be costly. One such case has come to light with passengers traveling in Shatabdi Express running between Rajdhani Delhi to Bhopal. A passenger traveling in Shatabdi Express had to pay Rs 70 for tea of Rs 20. Rs 50 was charged as service charge from the passenger by IRCTC for a cup of tea. The passenger shared his tea bill on Twitter which went on social media.
The Tourism and Catering Directorate of the Railway Board had issued a circular back in June 2018 that made it mandatory for a person to pay an additional Rs 50 as service charge if he/she does not pre-order any food while booking their ticket in Express Trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto Express and then asks for food or tea, coffee etc. during the journey.
Indian Railways issued a circular in 2018, which states, "If a passenger who did not opt for catering services at the time of booking the ticket and decides to purchase meals onboard, an extra amount of ₹ 50 per meal, in addition to the notified catering charges for meal, shall be charged by IRCTC's on-board supervisors."
Earlier, food service was mandatory in trains like Rajdhani or Shatabdi but later it was made optional. That is, if the passenger wants, he/she can refuse to take food and refreshments in these trains. In such situation, he/she will have to pay only for the ticket, not for the food service.