Get a flight-like feel on Vande Bharat soon

Railways rolls out Yatri Seva Anubandh pilot project for Vande Bharat trains to upgrade passenger services, offering concierge services, infotainment, quality food, travel essentials. Pilot project in Southern Railway covering 6 pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains

The travel experience in Vande Bharat trains is set to scale greater heights with the Indian Railways rolling out a new scheme to upgrade passenger services. As part of its initiative to bring about a qualitative shift in on-board services, the Railways has announced the launch of Yatri Seva Anubandh (YSA) as a pilot project in the Southern Railway covering six pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains.

In a note, the Railway Board said that the pilot initiative was aimed at enhancing passenger experience, providing greater choice in food and beverages, and ensuring ease of travel by offering additional value-added services to passengers such as concierge services, on-board infotainment and access to travel essentials and accessories. The objective was to steer a change in the focus towards service outcomes through passenger driven performance appraisal system and holistic evaluation of the services provided.

Under the new scheme, the Railways would provide concierge services such as cab arrival/departure, wheelchair and buggy drive assistance to passengers at originating/destination stations. On-board infotainment system would ensure seamless transmission of quality content in compliance with the laws pertaining to data protection, broadcasting, intellectual property rights, etc. 

The Railways have laid special emphasis on onboard cleanliness. A service provider with a proven track record in catering, housekeeping etc will be appointed for implementing YSA. The contractor would deploy one housekeeping person in each coach and such personnel should have been trained from institutions accredited under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana or by the All India Institute of Local Self Government, New Delhi, or any other government recognised training institute in cleaning/hospitality/housekeeping work. 

An exclusive food menu would be offered to passengers with a variety of dishes both for pre-paid on board delivery or a la carte services at reasonable and comparable market rates. Food would be prepared and sourced from ISO-certified base kitchens covered by CCTV and food packs affixed with QR codes. Apart from ordering on board, passengers would also have the option to order prepaid meals at the time of booking ticket or through the Yatri Seva app. Beef and pork shall not be used in any form in any of the food items. 

To ensure quality in service, the Railways have laid a condition that the contractor should have at least one person possessing Graduation/Diploma in Hospitality/Hotel Management/Catering from a deployed in each train exclusively for Food & Beverage services. The YSA Manager would  be a graduate having three years working experience in the hospitality industry.

The upgraded service also comes with on-board sale of travel essentials and the contractor would also have the freedom to sell any other product except those prohibited under law. There would be no sale of tobacco products and alcoholic drinks.