Mumbai Division: Central Railway to conduct E auction for licensed vendors on long-distance trains

The officials said that according to the new bidding process, the interested parties can participate in the E-Auction, scheduled for June 21.

The Mumbai division oversees a network of around 60 long-distance trains operating daily across three routes — Igatpuri, Roha, and Lonavala. The selected bidder can deploy up to 300 vendors on these trains, with potential for extension to 500 vendors.

The licensed vendors will be allowed to sell non-consumable items such as stationery, first aid kits, and accessories.

An official said that the selected bidder will have to submit the medical certificates, Aadhaar cards and get the police verification done for all vendors operating on the trains. Upon selection, the contractor will have 45 days to complete the necessary procedures.

Additionally, vendors will be issued three-month traveling authority cards to ensure they can work without restriction from law enforcement. Meanwhile, the Central Railway had earlier planned to allow licensed vendors in local trains but owing to opposition from passengers’ association and the Railway Police Force (RPF), the decision was kept on hold.

In another development, the Central Railway has now put on hold the bidding process for licensed vendors in local trains owing to no response. According to an official, the E-auction for vendors in local trains was held on June 6, however, it yielded no response. A tender for licensed vendors in local trains had been floated earlier also. A fresh tender with modifications will be launched in a period of one-and-a-half month, said the official. It is pertinent to note that the passengers’ association had opposed the move. A meeting was held with the association and the issue was resolved, said the official.