SCR chugs off with food for tots plan 

novel initiative

South Central Railway introduces Janani Sewa outlets, seen as a gift to mother travellers

• Hot milk, water and baby food to be available at major stations
• Exclusive menu for children on long-distance trains

Hyderabad: The Indian Railways has introduced a new initiative known as ‘Janani Sewa’ on June 9, to provide hot milk, hot water and baby food items at important stations and a menu exclusively for children, on trains.

Janani Sewa was prompted by an incident that occurred recently when a mother and child suffered due to non availability of baby food and milk while travelling on a long-distance train.

The mother complained about her problem on a social networking site of Indian Railways, expressing her anguish at the non-availability of infant food like milk on the train. Responding immediately to this, Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu arranged to have her served with hot milk for her baby, at the next station itself.

Taking a cue from this incident, Suresh Prabhu, in his budget speech of 2016-17 announced a policy initiative and stated, “We would like to mitigate the hardships that mothers undergo while travelling with their infants and therefore, we intend to introduce a menu for children on trains.

Food, hot milk and hot water would be made available at stations and changing boards for babies would be provided in train toilets.” In tune with this policy, South Central Railway introduced Janani Sewa outlets from June 9.

SCR General Manager Ravindra Gupta took a special interest to ensure availability of Janani Sewa services extensively at all major railway stations and on board the important long-distance trains of SCR. He personally monitored the establishment of Janani Sewa outlets at 53 important railway stations across the zone.

Hot milk, hot water and baby food items are available at 14 stations on Vijayawada Division (Vijayawada, Gudur, Nellore, Ongole, Tenali, Eluru, Nidadavolu, Rajahmundry, Anakapalli, Gudivada, Tanuku, Bhimavaram, Tuni and Narsapur); 12 stations on Guntakal Division (Tirupati, Renigunta, Kadapa, Gooty, Guntakal, Adoni, Mantralayam Road, Raichur, Yadgir, Anantapur, Dharmavaram & Pakala); 8 stations on Guntur Division (Nandyal, Diguvametta, Guntur, Nalgonda, Nadikudi, Cumbum, Markapuram & Miryalaguda); 6 stations on Secunderabad Division (Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Kazipet, Warangal, Khammam & Vikarabad); 7 stations on Nanded Division (Nanded, Purna, Parbhani, Jalna, Aurangabad, Nagarsol & Mudkhed) and at 6 stations on Hyderabad Division (Kacheguda, Kurnool, Gadwal, Mahbubnagar, Kamareddy & Nizamabad).