Thane Faces Rail Neer Supply Disruption Due to Ambernath Plant Renovation
The usual supply of Rail Neer, a popular bottled water brand available at railway stations, has been severely disrupted due to ongoing civil renovation and annual maintenance work at the Ambernath Rail Neer plant. This disruption has led to widespread inconvenience for passengers who rely on the drinking water at stations across the region.
The supply shortfall was highlighted in a recent statement by the divisional railway manager of Western Railway’s Mumbai Central division, posted on ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter). The statement assured passengers that efforts are being made to restore the availability of Rail Neer as quickly as possible. In the interim, the railway authorities have approved the sale of alternative packaged water brands, including Bisleri, Sweet, Zurica, and Rococo, to fill the gap at station stalls. However, the situation has not been entirely smooth for local stall owners. The vendors, who typically rely on Rail Neer’s availability, are facing difficulties securing adequate stocks of the alternative brands. Distributors of popular water brands such as Bisleri and Sweet have reportedly raised prices to accommodate the surge in demand, further complicating the situation for the vendors and leaving them unable to maintain a consistent supply.
“We are facing a shortage of all packaged water brands. The distributors are charging us extra to meet the supply demands, and this is making it even harder to manage and keep passengers satisfied,” said one of the local stall owners at a Thane station. Many of the vendors are struggling to maintain stock levels as prices escalate, causing delays in replenishing water supplies. An official spokesperson from IRCTC confirmed that the Ambernath Rail Neer plant is undergoing civil renovation and routine maintenance work, which has directly impacted production. The spokesperson reassured the public that efforts are in place to restore normal supply and meet the demand at the earliest. As of now, passengers are advised to exercise patience while railway authorities work on restoring Rail Neer’s availability. Meanwhile, the sale of alternative bottled water brands continues to mitigate the supply crunch.
