In a move aimed at enhancing safety, the Central Railway (CR) has issued a circular banning all cooking activities on platforms of suburban stations in Pune division, effective immediately. This decision comes after a fire incident at the "Jan Aahar" canteen in Lokmanya Tilak Terminus last December.
The ban applies to all food stalls, regardless of their cooking methods, including:
Licensed food plazas
Fast food units
Jan Ahaar canteens
Refreshment rooms
Tea stalls
Milk stalls
Other miscellaneous stalls
However, cooking through electrical appliances is still permitted on non-suburban stations.
Stations affected by the ban include:
Pune
Shivajinagar
Khadki
Dapodi
Kasarwadi
Pimpri
Chinchwad
Akurdi
Dehu Road
Begdewadi
Talegaon
Vadgaon
Kamshet
Malavli
Reactions to the ban:
While the CR aims to prevent potential fire hazards, some food stall owners and passenger representatives have expressed concerns.
Food stall owners worry about the impact on their livelihoods and request alternative arrangements for food preparation.
Passenger representatives express concerns about potential inconvenience caused by the lack of readily available food options on platforms.
Current Implementation Status:
While the circular is issued, its complete implementation might still be pending.
Some food stalls claim they haven't faced any restrictions yet and adhere to safety guidelines with separate kitchen units away from platforms.
The CR clarifies that the ban applies only to stalls within the circulating area of platforms, not those located outside.