Jamshedpur, Oct 24: Passengers traveling on Vande Bharat trains are facing increased inconvenience after the removal of the “No Food” option from ticket bookings. The change has made it mandatory for travellers to pay for onboard meals, even on short routes of 200–300 km.
The “No Food” option was earlier introduced after widespread complaints about poor meal quality on premium trains. The option allowed passengers to avoid paying catering charges if they preferred to bring their own food. However, over the past few weeks, the feature has quietly disappeared from online booking systems for several Vande Bharat trains via Tatanagar.
Sources suggest that catering companies reported declining sales as many passengers opted out of the meal service. In response, the option was reportedly removed without any formal announcement, leading to dissatisfaction among travellers.
Passengers now have no choice but to pay for food while booking tickets, regardless of journey length or preference. Many have demanded that the Railways immediately reinstate the “No Food” option to give passengers more flexibility and fairness in pricing.
Meanwhile, the Railways has instructed catering agencies to introduce sugar-free and diabetic-friendly meal options for passengers with specific dietary needs. Catering agencies at Tatanagar have also received orders to implement these guidelines.
Despite this, passengers remain firm that their main demand is the restoration of the “No Food” option to make travel more convenient and affordable.
