Not ready to open food stalls on Rly platforms yet; urge officials not to pressure us: Vendors body

The Railways Food Vending Association has said it is not ready to begin services on platforms due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and urged officials not to pressure it into opening stalls. All stalls on railway platforms have been shut throughout the novel coronavirus-induced lockdown which was imposed on March 25 to check the spread of the infection. However, through a letter on May 21, the railway board directed all zonal railways to open permanent and vending stalls located inside railway stations with immediate effect. "No one likes to keep their business closed for long and sit without work but wants to operate their units under viable conditions," Ravinder Gupta, president, Akhil Bharatiya Railway Khan-Pan Licensees Welfare Association said in a letter to Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav on Thursday. "There are many hurdles and unprecedented situations in reopening of the units (stalls) due to the ongoing lockdown/ containment zones and Red Zones in most of the states of the country," the letter said. It also stated that most vendors had migrated to their hometowns due to the lockdown, and raised the issue of safety of vendors alleging that no arrangements have been made for the protection of men and material on platforms. "Shramik Trains are continuing to transport migrant labourers who are looting and vandalising and causing heavy damages to some stalls. Are those local authorities going to take responsibility in case of loss or injury?" Gupta said in the letter. The association also requested the national transporter to allow reasonable time for reopening of the static platform stalls. "It is therefore, earnestly requested to kindly allow reasonable time for reopening of the static units, restrict officials from creating panic and building pressure, and collecting data in respect of reopening of the same which is causing fear in the mind of all concerned," the letter said. It also said that there is no point in opening food stalls at the moment as very few trains were operational. "Only 100 pairs of passenger trains are scheduled to be operated from June 1. In absence of proper restoration of all trains and normalized situation, there are hardly any possibilities of availing vending services by bonafide passengers," the letter said. Food vending services on railway platforms are an important source of meals for passengers, especially for those on Shramik Special trains who are undertaking long journeys and running out of food and water. Talking to PTI, Gupta said while he understood the needs of the migrants, his vendors too need the assurance that they will be able to run these stalls. He said there are approximately 1 lakh stalls across 9,000 railway stations in the country and around 6 lakh people are employed through them. "All passengers at originating stations are being regulated by security forces to ensure social distancing and they enter the respective coaches directly without having any chance to purchase any eatables from the stalls or trolleys. "Also, with such few and restricted stoppages, how many are going to buy eatables from us?" he said. The association president also pointed out that the strict implementation of social distancing and regulations at stations are also resulting in long queues for thermal screening at single entry and exit gates, making it nearly impossible to enter these stations carrying materials for the stalls. PTI ASG SRY

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)