Central Railway to have grocery stores at 15 Mumbai division stations; tea, coffee, cooked food barred

Passengers travelling by local and long-distance trains will now be able to buy groceries and daily essentials at the station itself. Grocery stores are currently running at 11 stations in the Mumbai division of Central Railway. The facility is set to start soon at four more stations, taking the total to 15 stations in the Mumbai division. This will make it easier for passengers to buy necessities during their journey.

Station-wise, Kurla has the most, with four stores. Kalyan has two stores. Dadar, Byculla, Kanjurmarg, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and Vasind have one grocery store each. One store each will soon start at Vidyavihar, Kasara, Badlapur and Diva stations.

Central Railway has fixed a list of items that can be sold in these stores. Under it, groceries such as rice, wheat, pulses, edible oil, sugar, salt, spices and dry fruits can be sold. Biscuits, chips, popcorn, instant noodles, jam, pickles, sauces, packaged drinking water, fruit juices and cold drinks are also on the list.

Dairy products, bakery items and ready-to-cook items such as parathas, cutlets and nuggets will also be sold. Selling ice cream is also permitted. Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent, tissue paper, sanitary napkins, children's diapers, baby food, stationery and other items of daily use will also be available to passengers.

Under Special Cleanliness Campaign 6.0, Central Railway has drawn up a list of items that may and may not be sold in these stores. Compliance with the rules of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will be mandatory. Cleanliness inside and around the stores is also required. Dustbins must be kept within about one metre of each store.

Cooked food, tea and coffee may not be sold in these grocery stores. The aim of the initiative is to bring uniformity to sales, curb illegal sales and provide passengers with daily necessities at reasonable prices.