Title - Modern base kitchen to be ready by month-end

NAGPUR: In a bid to provide quality and hygienic food to passengers at competitive rates, the Central Railway is all set to commission its hi-tech base kitchen at Nagpur station by month-end."The Rs45 lakh project at Nagpur will replicate Ballarshah's world-class base kitchen model. The kitchen at Nagpur would have some additional machines, which will replace traditional equipment and manual methods of preparing food," said Sumant Deulkar, senior divisional commercial manager (SrDCM). DCM K Jaisankar was also present.The plan to modernize base kitchens at Ballarshah and Nagpur was undertaken as the Railway Board's Catering Policy 2010 envisages good quality food to the travelling public by adopting best trade and hospitality.The kitchen at Ballarshah was commissioned by general manager S K Jain in January 2012. It has been reorganized by using utility spaces, improvement in floor area and better illumination and exhaust system for burners and dampers.The equipment includes semi-automatic 'roti' and 'puri' makers, pulverizes, non-pollutant battery-operated trolleys to carry packed food to platforms among a host of other things. The machine can make over 2,000 'puris' in one hour.These machines may work to great advantage at Nagpur where Janata Khana, consisting of puris and aloo sabji, which is sold for Rs10, is most popular and sold largely.The kitchen at Ballarshah is situated in 2,500 sq feet area. It supplies 1,500-2,000 meals and 500-700 breakfast packs. "Similar will be the capacity at Nagpur," Deulkar added.With 80 pairs of trains passing through Nagpur, the demand for food is ever rising. The revamp of base kitchen at Nagpur, based in 5,500 sq ft area, will help improve the output with less workers.On the issue of staff shortage hampering food services, Deulkar said surplus staff from other departments is being diverted to the kitchen at Nagpur. Besides, additional staff is being recruited.Deulkar further said that Central Railway is also planning to introduce train side vending (TSV) to ensure that passengers get food and breakfast at proper timings.The idea is to implement the TSV concept through existing vendors at stations like Wardha, Itarsi or Betul. For this, combinations of trains will be identified. If implemented, the existing licensees will be charged more. It will benefit passengers, railways and vendors too.