Veg-Only Meals On Trains On Gandhi Jayanti For 3 Years Planned

A blueprint prepared by the Railways plans to celebrate 150th anniversary of Gandhi Jayanti as a ‘Vegetarian Day.’ The Railway Board has proposed that no non-vegetarian food will be served to passengers anywhere on its premises on October 2, for three consecutive years.

In a circular to all railway zones last month, the Railway Board said, “October 2, 2018, 2019, 2020 can be celebrated as a totally vegetarian day when no non-vegetarian food will be served anywhere on Indian Railways’ premises. All the railway staff will be requested to observe October 2 as Vegetarian Day.”

If the proposal is approved, October 2 will not only be celebrated as Rashtriya Swachhta Diwas, but also as ‘Vegetarian Day.’

Apart from observing ‘Vegetarian Day’, the Indian Railways also plans to run a special salt rake from Sabarmati on March 12, to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March. Swachhata trains from Sabarmati will connect various stations linked with the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Tickets with watermark of Mahatma Gandhi’s image will also be printed.

The Railway Board’s mega plans are now waiting for an approval from the Ministry of Culture, which is coordinating all events related to the 150th anniversary of Gandhi Jayanti.

Murals of Gandhiji at the administrative offices of the railways, thematic paintings of all stations connected with Mahatma Gandhi’s movement, and setting up of digital museums are also part of the blueprint. A special logo designed by the ministry of culture has been proposed to be displayed outside the coaches as well as next to the seat numbers.

Earlier this month, President Ram Nath Kovind chaired the first meeting of the national committee for the commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. In October last year, the committee was constituted to supervise the planning and implementation of programmes in India as well as abroad, for a year from October 2, 2019 to October 2, 2020. The committee includes eminent thinkers, Gandhians, chief ministers of all the states among others.