New Delhi, March 7: Indian Railways is set to do away with mandatory catering on Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains within four months, allowing passengers to make a choice of paid food at the time of booking tickets.

At present, meals and snacks in these trains are given as part of the ticket package and all that the travellers need to choose while making reservations is whether they want vegetarian or non-vegetarian food.

Officials in the catering division of the railway ministry are now working on the modalities of the new policy after the intent was declared in the rail budget on February 25.

"We are exploring the possibility of making mandatory catering services optional in trains," the minister had said in the budget speech. "Local cuisine of choice will be made available to passengers."

Today, a senior railway official told The Telegraph: "We are finalising the details of the system at the moment before introducing the new provision in about four months from now. The new system will work like low-cost airlines where fliers can choose whether they want to pay for the food at the time of booking tickets."

Another official in the catering division said: "Those who decline food can pay Rs 150-200 less for their tickets. They would have the option to buy food from outside through e-catering or carry their own meals or buy from a pantry if they want to."

"The idea is to give more choice to travellers as we have been getting complaints about the quality of food being served," the official added. "From the feedback we have received from passengers from time to time, it is clear that many travellers feel they are being forced to pay for food in these trains because of higher ticket rates compared to that of other trains."

There are 22 sets of Rajdhanis, 24 sets of Shatabdis and 27 sets of Duronto trains in the country at present and food in these trains is fixed.

Apart from vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals that include chapattis, rice, pulses, chicken and vegetables, mostly tea, soup, breadsticks and snacks are served to passengers during their journeys.

In the 2016-17 budget proposals, railway minister Suresh Prabhu had also said that the Indian Railway Catering Tourism Development Corporation "would begin to manage catering services in a phased manner", suggesting that the process of allotting trains to vendors would be gradually eliminated.

Prabhu said the PSU would unbundle catering services by creating a distinction between food preparation and distribution. While meals would be prepared in IRCTC kitchens located at the railways' divisional stations, their distribution in trains will be outsourced.

Vendors had a mixed reaction to the proposed shift in the catering policy of Indian Railways.

Rajeev Mittal, co-owner of RK Associates and Brandavan Food Products that has the licence to cater to most of the premium trains in the country, said: "The railway ministry is making it clear that the customer is king. It is a good thing that so much competition is being brought in the segment and passengers will have multiple choices to choose from."

Rahat Jain, a vendor listed with Eastern Railway, however, said: "If there are complaints with the quality of food and services, there are ways to fix it but by suggesting that the IRCTC will completely take over from vendors will spell doom for thousands of people who are engaged in train catering services across the country."

A third-party food audit by inspectors accredited with the Quality Council of India is also on the anvil. At present, railway officials themselves carry out the inspections.