THE GREAT INDIAN PANTRY

INDIAN FOOD ON TRACK

At 6 am Raj Bahadur heats up the gas and boils milk,ties up his dress and gets all set for his work of selling tea.This is the way his day starts and he feels proud to cater hundreds of people on the journey.He says Indian Railway defines what India is all about.

Managing Control Room

Indian railways as everyone knows is one of the largest in the world.It provides employment to millions across this country.Last month I was travelling in one of the prominent train to Delhi and I decided to got to meet the workers at Pantry car.

Extreme heat condition.and workers preparing food in huge utensils.There is a managing control room where how many orders gets registered and accordingly food is prepared.Every day at least 400 orders are taken for one period meal.

The pantry is always attached to long distance train which is managed by IRCTC. The pantry manager Sanjay Sharma  says that they try their best to provide services to masses .They try their best that food is not repeated during night meals.They take care that it should be different than what is being served during lunch.

One of the passenger whom I met said that the main  food is of Rs 50 but he says that railway should focus on Quality.Generally passengers don't have any issue with the price but they say if the food is priced at rs 50 which has been hiked from rs 40 the quality has to be upgraded.

many dont like the food beacsue they fear the use of water in the pantry.When I went to Pantry I found that the way the food was being made was way hygienic than the myth we were bearing in our minds.Sharma further told me that they use clean water to prepare food.Passenger have different notion to it which they cannot remove from their minds except than trusting Indian railways.One thing is for sure that Pantry has become the integral part of India.In a journey of more than 24 hours one cannot imagine the journey without Pantry car.

The pantry workers are away from their families catering service to passengers.People travel to meet relatives and loved ones and these men work day and night all alone by them selves away from their homes.they do miss their families.They get opportunity to meet them once or twice  in six months  because of the load of work.They say that the train is their home and they are family out there.

A proper meal served

Travelling more than 2000 kilometers across 5 states one definitely get to see one part of India which explores national integrity which is blend with cup of tea and food provided by the Great Indian pantry.