Permission for sale of other packed items at Fruit and Juice Stalls at Railway Station
Permission for sale of other packed items at Fruit and Juice Stalls at Railway Station
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAILWAY BOARD
No. 2025/Catering/600/04
New Delhi, dated 13/08/2025
The General Managers,
All Indian Railways
(Commercial Circular No. 19 of 2025)
Sub: Permission for sale of other packed items at Fruit and Juice Stalls
The suggestions received from Zonal Railways to permit sale of other packed items from Fruit Juice Stalls, have been examined and reviewed in Board’s office and the Competent Authority has decided the following:
(i) Sale of other packed items, as approved by Zonal Railways, shall be permitted from Fruit Juice Stalls in addition to fresh fruits and juices.
(ii) Implementation of the above shall be done as under
a. On the existing Fruit Juice Stalls allotted prior to Catering Policy 2025 and the existing Fruit Juice Stalls allotted post issuance of Catering Policy 2025 where such permissions is given as per this Circular, sale of other packed items shall be permitted with proportionate increase in license fee on this account which shall be worked out by Zonal Railways in consultation with Finance as per the extant policy and made applicable w.e.f. the date of such permission.
b. All new allotments of Fruit Juice Stalls to be done by following the SBD for GMUs or SMUs as the case may be with specific mention of such permission in the Bid Document so that the same is factored in for fixation of License fee as per extant policy.
This issues with the concurrence of Finance Directorate of Ministry of Railways.
Sd/-
(Philip Varghese)
Director (Tourism & Catering)
Railway Board
Source: http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/
Here’s the official status and rules regarding the sale of packaged items at fruit and juice stalls within railway stations:
Contents
- 1 📜 Railway Board Circular (Catering Circular No. 19 of 2025)
- 2 🍪 Catering Policy: What’s Allowed at Refreshment Units
- 3 🧾 Station-Stall Configuration & Permit Rules
- 4 🧼 Zone-Level Enhancements: Ease of Doing Business
- 5 👥 Passenger & Vendor Experiences (Reddit Insights)
- 6 📋 Summary Table
- 7 ✅ Final Takeaway
📜 Railway Board Circular (Catering Circular No. 19 of 2025)
A governing order issued on 13 August 2025 clarifies:
- Fruit and juice stalls may now also sell other approved packed items—such as biscuits, chips, chocolates, snacks—subject to zonal railway approval.
- Existing stalls (granted before or after the 2025 Catering Policy) that receive this authorization will be charged a higher license fee (determined by finance and zone policy) from the effective date of permission.
- All new fruit‐juice stall allotments must clearly mention this “packed-items permission” in the bid documents and license fee calculation must reflect it.
🍪 Catering Policy: What’s Allowed at Refreshment Units
According to Catering Policy‑2025 under IRCTC management:
- At major stations (A1 & A category), refreshment rooms and Jan Ahaar stalls are permitted to sell:
- Fresh food items
- Approved packed goods like aerated drinks, biscuits, chips, chocolates, ready-to-eat meals, and bottled drinking water (RailNeer) at printed MRP
🧾 Station-Stall Configuration & Permit Rules
- Broader policy guidelines (Catering Policy 2005, Commercial Manual) require that price lists be displayed, and vendors must not charge excessively beyond local rates.
Enforcement measures and health licensing are mandatory for all catering units.
🧼 Zone-Level Enhancements: Ease of Doing Business
Southern Railway (2023) has:
- Simplified the process for approving packaged goods (PAD items) at station catering booths.
- Allowed manufacturers/franchisees to apply via a walk-in process year-round rather than periodic Expression of Interest (EOI).
This facilitates sale of more packed items like biscuits, chocolates, cakes at static catering units through proper licensing.
👥 Passenger & Vendor Experiences (Reddit Insights)
“Passengers confront unauthorised vendors… they don’t issue bills, sell overpriced food and have questionable hygiene standards.”
“Where have the food hawkers gone from the platforms? […] All you get now are packed items.”
Passengers note that only packaged foods remain, and unauthorized hawkers have largely disappeared.
📋 Summary Table
| Stall Type | Packed Items Allowed? | Authorization Required? | License Fee Updated? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Existing Fruit/Juice Stall | ✅ Yes (with Board approval) | Yes | Yes, increased |
| New Fruit/Juice Stall | ✅ Yes (if specified in bid docs) | Yes | Yes, fee built in |
| Refreshment / Jan Ahaar | ✅ Yes (standard policy items) | Per IRCTC licensing rules | Standard license structure |
✅ Final Takeaway
- Fruit and juice stalls can now, with zonal railway authorization, sell other packaged edible items (e.g. biscuits, chips, chocolates).
- This permission requires formal approval, and license fees are adjusted accordingly.
- All packaged goods must be approved, displayed at MRP, and vendors must follow hygiene, pricing, and billing regulations.
Would you like assistance with:
- Drafting a request to a zonal railway for permission?
- Locating the specific Commercial Circular 19 of 2025 on the Railway Board portal?
- Listing approved packaged items under the PAD/RTE scheme?
Happy to assist further!