IRCTC To Arrange Catering Facilities In All Trains Booked On Full Tariffs; Stock Rises 7% In 1 Day

IRCTC share price rallied by over 7% on Friday after the Railways Ministry released a circular in regards to entire catering facilities by the company. The ministry notified that catering facilities in all coaches/trains etc. booked on full tariff rates (FTR) will be arranged by IRCTC. Also, the party will book catering facilities in such special coaches or trains through IRCTC only, except for the booking of FTR trains along with a pantry car.

In case of booking of full train on FTR including a pantry car coach, the ministry notified that the booking party may either avail the catering facilities through IRCTC or provide the catering facilities using the pantry strictly in terms of the existing instructions of the Tourism & Catering directorate issue and other instructions issued from time to time.

Further, the notification directed that parties booking FTR trains including pantry coaches will be supplied with such panties which have flameless cooking facilities only. In case of non-availability of ICF pantry cars with flameless cooking facility, LHB rakes will be supplied for FTR bookings where the pantry has been in demand.

In case of no availability of a flameless pantry, no pantry car will be provided and catering services will be mandatory through IRCTC.

Under the FTR booking module, functionality to upload passenger manifest is to be developed by CRIS and IRCTC to ensure uploading it 24 hours before the scheduled departure. There would be no allotment of VPU/VPH for third-party FTR trains booked by private parties.

At the originating station of FTR party coaches/trains, the ministry directed that security or railway staff must take mandatory checks for inflammables.

Booking party to ensure that the de-boarding and boarding of passengers is done as per the tour programme submitted by them to ensure platform facility for passengers.

While giving operation feasibility for en-route halts, it needs to be ensured that a platform/siding is available for boarding/de-boarding as well as stabling the coach.

Also, regular drives by IRCTC/Railway officials to check compliance with extant guidelines should be done.

On BSE, IRCTC shares closed at Rs 725.60 apiece, up by 2.6% on Friday. However, the stock rallied by 7.2% with an intraday high of Rs 758.10 apiece during the day.