Sabari Express upgraded to superfast
Further, the train service will be delinked from Train No. 12763/12764 Tirupati – Secunderabad – Tirupati Padmavati Express and Train No. 12731/12732 Tirupati – Secunderabad – Tirupati Express. The new proposal to upgrade the Sabari Express to a superfast train will come into effect from September 29. As part of upgrading the train to superfast, there would be minor changes in the timing of the train at various stations across the State.
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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Back to the kulhad: Railways swap paper cups for clay at 12 WR stations, but vendors cry foul
MUMBAI: In a move aimed at cutting down plastic and paper waste, the Indian Railways has decided to bring back the humble kulhad—the eco-friendly, disposable clay cup—at select stations on the Western Railway (WR) network. But while the decision is rooted in sustainability, it has left many food stall owners steaming. (Shutterstock) The Railway Board recently issued fresh instructions making it mandatory for tea and buttermilk to be served in kulhads instead of paper cups at 12 stations on WR's suburban and mainline routes. These include key stations like Dadar, Bandra, Andheri, Mumbai Central, Palghar and Dahanu Road, along with Bilimora, Valsad, Vapi, Navsari, Surat and Nandurbar. 'Food and juice stalls on platforms and concourses have been informed about the change,' confirmed a WR official. As per the new norms, tea must be served in 170 ml kulhads, and buttermilk in 220 ml ones. A throwback to Lalu's kulhad pitch This isn't the first time the kulhad has made its way into railway policy. The idea was first floated in 2004 by then Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav as a way to support rural potters and promote cleanliness. The concept made a brief return in 2019 when Piyush Goyal, then Railways Minister, proposed using kulhads at over 400 stations—touting it as a win-win for the environment and India's pottery industry. But in both instances, the initiative failed to find long-term footing. Higher costs, inconsistent supply, and logistical issues led to a quiet return of cheaper paper and plastic cups. Now, it's official—again This time around, the Railways is pushing for what it calls 'kulhad compliance,' a term that sounds almost as earthy as the cups themselves. But stall owners aren't exactly raising a toast. 'It's just not practical,' said a member of the Western Railway Caterers Association. 'Our margins are already wafer-thin. A kulhad costs anywhere between ₹4 to ₹8, while a paper cup is just 50 paise to ₹1. Serving tea at ₹5 or ₹6 in a ₹6 cup doesn't make business sense.' Pricing, pottery, and practicality There's more. Most of these kulhads are custom-made and not easily available in bulk. In Mumbai, many are sourced from potters in Dharavi, but the supply isn't consistent—and costs can spike based on size and quality. The more polished porcelain versions seen in supermarkets are costlier still. Then there's the matter of logistics. Stall owners say they already lose up to 30% of paper cups in transit due to damage. Losing fragile kulhads in transport could make things worse. Cleanliness is another concern. 'Unlike paper cups that can be easily crushed and disposed of, broken kulhads lying around the station can be hazardous for passengers,' said a stall operator. Interestingly, most stalls don't even stock buttermilk regularly. 'It's time-consuming to prepare and there's low demand,' said another vendor. 'Our customers mostly buy tea, or cold drinks like nimbu paani and kokum.' 'While the Railways' kulhad push checks the right boxes in terms of sustainability and support to traditional potters, it may need a little more groundwork—literally and figuratively—to win over vendors who actually have to serve chai every day. Until then, for many of us, the kulhad might be a nice idea on paper—but far from a cup of tea we can afford,' said one of the vendors at the Western Line.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Sabari Express upgraded to superfast
The Railway Board has approved the proposal to speed up Train No. 17229/17230 Thiruvananthapuram Central – Secunderabad – Thiruvananthapuram Central Sabari Express to Superfast Express. According to a statement issued by the Southern Railway Thiruvananthapuram division on Tuesday, consequent to speeding, the train Number will be changed to train No. 20630/20629 Thiruvananthapuram Central – Secunderabad – Thiruvananthapuram Central Sabari Express. Further, the train service will be delinked from Train No. 12763/12764 Tirupati – Secunderabad – Tirupati Padmavati Express and Train No. 12731/12732 Tirupati – Secunderabad – Tirupati Express. The new proposal to upgrade the Sabari Express to a superfast train will come into effect from September 29. As part of upgrading the train to superfast, there would be minor changes in the timing of the train at various stations across the State.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Madgaon-Mangaluru MEMU Express to stop at Harwada and Mirjana
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