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.