A major infrastructure overhaul at Ludhiana's crucial railway station has led to an unexpected and chilly consequence this winter season: the disappearance of hot meals for thousands of daily commuters. Strict new safety rules linked to the multi-crore rupee redevelopment project have resulted in a complete ban on all cooking and food-warming equipment for platform vendors.
Safety Protocols Halt Hot Meals
The directive, which originates from the Railway headquarters, prohibits the use of any heating source due to identified fire risks and limitations of the electrical wiring within the active construction areas. This comprehensive ban affects everything from modern electric stoves to traditional coal-fired angeethis. As the station undergoes its high-tech transformation, the necessary infrastructure to support safe cooking has been temporarily decommissioned.
Deputy Station Superintendent Prem Mittal confirmed that the orders are non-negotiable at the local level. "The ban on coal, electric, or gas cookers comes directly from headquarters," Mittal stated. "The local administration has no authority to waive these critical safety requirements."
Vendors Face Economic Winter
The ban is having a severe financial impact on the station's 48 registered food vendors, who operate 24 authorized carts and trays. The Ludhiana Vendors Co-operative Society reports a sharp decline in daily income as customers consistently reject cold food during the ongoing cold wave.
Naveen Sharma, a vendor selling chole-bhature on the bustling Platform No. 1, shared his plight. "People buy the food and then immediately complain it is cold," he said. "In this biting cold, customers naturally expect a warm meal. Without the ability to provide that, our sales are dipping every single day."
Praveen Kumar, president of the cooperative, pointed out that while LPG was banned four years ago, small coal heaters were still permitted last winter. "We fully understand the construction risks," Kumar emphasized, "but we are desperately seeking a temporary solution. This is the peak of winter, and it is our most crucial business period."
Commuters Voice Their Frustration
The policy has sparked significant frustration among the station's regular travelers, who are now forced to choose between the cold weather and stone-cold snacks. Hardeep Singh, a daily commuter, expressed his shock after being served cold chole-kulche.
"It is shocking that at a major station like Ludhiana, there is no system to keep food warm during winter," Singh remarked. "If the authorities cannot allow cooking on the platforms, they must provide an alternative facility. People simply cannot be expected to eat cold meals in these freezing temperatures."
As an orange alert for a cold wave continues across Punjab, the vendors' only hope is for the rapid completion of the station's upgrade. They are praying to soon return to serving the hot, comforting meals that have been an integral part of the Indian railway travel experience for generations.
