Pune railway station will continue to have its existing tea and coffee stalls, even as Central Railway prohibits grocery kiosks from selling fresh tea, coffee and cooked food across its divisions. The restriction applies specifically to grocery kiosks and does not amount to a blanket ban on these items at the station, a Pune railway official clarified.
The decision was announced on October 19 during the Special Cleanliness Campaign 6.0. Central Railway has standardised the items that can and cannot be sold at grocery kiosks operating under its non-fare revenue model. The stated objectives are to prevent unauthorised vending, establish uniformity across stations and improve hygiene.
Hemant Kumar Behera, Divisional Commercial Manager and Public Relations Officer of the Pune Railway Division, said existing stalls serving tea and coffee were continuing to operate. “The existing stalls that cater to tea and coffee have been running as usual to serve passengers, while the restriction is particularly for grocery kiosks,” he told The Indian Express.
Behera also said no new grocery kiosks had been introduced at Pune railway station so far, although planning was under way. This means the revised list currently defines the operating framework for any such facility rather than immediately changing the range of goods available through an existing grocery kiosk at the station.
Under the revised rules, grocery kiosks may sell staples including rice, wheat, flour, pulses, edible oils, sugar, salt, spices and dry fruits. Packaged food such as biscuits, chips, popcorn and instant noodles is also permitted, along with ready-to-eat foods, sauces, jams and pickles.
Packaged drinking water and beverages from railway-approved brands, including juices, energy drinks, soft drinks and dairy products, can be sold. Bakery products, ice cream and ready-to-cook frozen snacks such as parathas, cutlets and nuggets are also included in the permitted list. Freshly prepared tea, coffee and cooked food are excluded from the grocery kiosk category.
The list extends beyond food. Operators may sell personal care and hygiene products such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, detergents, tissues, napkins and toilet paper. Baby products, including diapers, baby food and wipes, pet food, stationery and small utility items are also permitted.
Central Railway has directed kiosk operators to comply with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India regulations and maintain cleanliness inside and around their stalls. Each kiosk must also provide dustbins with garbage bags nearby. The requirements place responsibility for waste management and food safety on the operators while giving the railway a standardised framework for monitoring these commercial spaces.
The railway has said the standardisation is intended to improve passenger access to daily essentials and household products at reasonable rates while ensuring consistent hygiene standards across stations. The commercial facilities are also part of Central Railway’s effort to strengthen non-fare revenue. At Pune railway station, the next operational milestone will be the planned introduction of grocery kiosks under the revised permitted-item list.
