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Railway Board modifies Catering Policy 2017, allows DRMs to approve new catering initiatives on stations

Catering Policy 2017 revised: The move comes after Southern Railway (SR) suggested changes to Para 21 of the Catering Policy 2017 in a letter to the RB dated August 14, 2025.

3 min readJan 13, 2026 07:27 PM IST

Railway Board has modified Para 21 of the Catering Policy 2017. (Image generated using AI)

Catering Policy 2017 revised: The Railway Board (RB) has modified the Catering Policy 2017, allowing Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) to approve new catering initiatives at stations. The move comes after Southern Railway (SR) suggested changes to Para 21 of the Catering Policy 2017 in a letter to the RB dated August 14, 2025.

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What was Para 21 in the Indian Railways Catering Policy 2017?

According to the Para 21 of the Indian Railways Catering Policy 2017, the zonal railways was allowed to grant approval for the introduction of innovative or new initiatives in catering on stations, with the concurrence of Associate Finance and approval of General Manager (GM).

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“Zonal Railways shall be permitted to introduce innovative/new initiatives in catering on stations, with the concurrence of Associate Finance and approval of General Manager. Tenure for such initiatives shall be one year extendable to second year with the approval of General Manager. Further, extension for remaining period of the full tenure (i.e. five years) shall be with the approval of Railway Board,” reads the statement.

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Catering Policy 2017 Indian Railways modified

Now, according to the latest commercial circular issued to all zonal railways, the Railway Board has allowed Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) to grant permission for introducing innovative or new catering initiatives at stations for a period of two years. Any extension for the remaining tenure of five years will require the General Manager’s approval.

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“Zonal Railways shall be permitted to introduce innovative/new initiatives in catering on stations, with the concurrence of Associate Finance and approval of Divisional Railway Manager for a period of 02 years. Further, extension for the remaining period of the full tenure (i.e. five years) may be considered with the approval of General Manager,” the letter dated January 13, 2026 reads.

Anish Mondal

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com. Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More

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