Kochi, Jan 22: Rail passengers from Kerala are a happy lot as the state’s traditional food items such as appam and eggcurry, puttu and kadala curry have found their way back to the revised menu of the Railways in the wake of protests over reports that they were replaced by north indian delicacies.
The popular Kerala dishes were reinstated to the list following social media backlash over the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s reported decision to replace the favorite cuisine of Malayalis from its menu with north Indian dishes such as Kachori and Chole Bhature.
Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, who had shot off a letter to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal raising the issue of alleged discrimination against Keralites, got an assurance from the IRCTC officials that popular items, including snacks such as unniyappam and sukhiyan will be served through its outlets in the state.
Eden said the IRCTC officials who visited him at his home on Wednesday morning have presented him with the list of delicacies to be served by its local vendors in Kerala. In his letter to the minister, the MP had stated that dishes which are very important to Malayalis for breakfast such as appam, egg curry, porotta, dosa, steam cake (puttu) were excluded along with snacks such as banana fry (pazham pori), kozhukkatta, unniyappam, neyyappam and sukhiyan. He had also raised the issue of hike in price of food items.
According to him, price of meals has been increased from RS 35 to 70 and that ofsnacks such as vada from Rs 8 to 15. While the price of vada has not been reduced, the fare of snack meal like parotta, chappathi, idiyappam, appam and puttu with kadala curry or egg curry will be served at Rs 50. According to IRCTC, a passenger will have to shell out Rs 20 for unniyappam/sukhiyan/neyyappam, 2 numbers each. Informing Goyal of the changes in menu, he said Malayalis are discriminated in trains and railway refreshment rooms by the food which is the right of every passenger.
He had sought urgent intervention of the Minister and speedy action in the matter.
Comments
Use our money for corona patients. Dont waste tax payers money.
For Ayodhya pilgrims, Spend from your BJP looted money.
Our ruling govt is only interested in RAM Mandir and spending crores of rupees for the temple. Why the other community is not demanding fund from the GOVT?
Not bothered about the development of the country as currently we have no idea how to tackle the corona viurs. Ministers are keen on builing Guest house for pilgrims, Statue of RAM etc etc.
Please concentrate on how to minimise the Virus issue in KARNAKATA like other Gulf countries.
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