Vendors, trolley operators at rly station unwilling to resume work

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 22

Vendors and trolley operators at the railway station here are unhappy with the Railway Board asking all divisional commercial heads to open static catering and vending units at the stations.

On Wednesday, the Railways released a list of 100 pairs of trains that will operate across the country from June 1. Reluctant to be named as vendors at the railway station, the vendors and trolley operators said it would not be wise to open vends for a few trains that would start running from the next month.

They sought waiver of rent for six months in view of the pandemic. Rents are high and besides this, they have to pay wages to workers, the power tariff and take care of several other fixed expenses, they said. As footfall is expected to be low, they said, it would not be wise to open the stalls.

They also sought compensation for commodities that either expired or rotted at their commercial outlets during the prolonged closure due to lockdown.

At the local railway station, there are about 12 stalls, eight trolleys, one food plaza and five water-vending machines. The monthly rent for setting up a stall could be between Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000, for a trolley about Rs 15,000 and a food plaza is over 1 lakh.

The Railway Board has asked all zonal railways authorities and the IRCTC to open all static catering and vending units at the railway stations. In case of food plaza and refreshment rooms, cooked items may be served as take-away only with no sit-down eating arrangements in place.