After 5-yr gap, refreshment room gets operational at Amritsar rly station

Amritsar, May 7

Nearly after five years of its closure, the Amritsar railway station’s refreshment room got operational on Monday. The IRCTC-operated refreshment room was closed in the first week of 2019. The refreshment room had been lying closed after the expiry of the five-year contract with a Delhi-based firm in 2019.

The refreshment room provides meals and snacks at affordable rates to passengers or tourists visiting here to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple.

The Catering Policy 2010 of the Railways states that the number of catering units, excluding automatic vending machines (AVM), on the main platform should not be more than six and not more than five on an island platform. Railway stations are divided under A, B, C, D, E and F categories after evaluating various parameters. According to the policy, the Amritsar railway station falls under category A and its platform number one is the main one.

The catering policy explicitly states that the zonal railways should ensure that adequate facilities are made available for providing affordable food to passengers before permitting any other type of outlet. Jan Ahar outlets should be set up by converting existing available refreshment rooms/static units into Jan Ahars. Janta Meals and economy combo meals with stress on regional cuisines should be served and vended from the Jan Ahar outlets.