THE GREAT IRCTC PANTRY CAR RACKET
Was travelling with my wife by this train which departed from MAS on 7th February. The next day I ordered an EGG MEAL THALI which was served by the PC staff a little before we reached VSKP. I had earlier seen the rate list displayed on a board in the pantry car which indicated that the rates were Rs.50 for a veg meal and Rs. 55 for a non-veg meal. After we had consumed the meal, at about 3 pm, the staff asked me to pay Rs. 160 for the meal. I was well aware of this kind of extortion in this and several other long-distance trains. But I quietly told the waiter that I would...
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go to the pantry car and pay there.
Later I enquired of the manager why I was being charged Rs. 160 for a meal which according to their own rate board cost only Rs.55. The manager conned me saying Rs.55 was for a STANDARD THALI whereas what I had been served was a DELUXE THALI (whatever that means). I came back without paying.
I whatsupped a few of my admin friends from IRI. They asked me to insist on a bill before payment. One of them also msgd me a mobile number to lodge a complaint which I promptly did. There was an instant response from IR saying the matter is being investigated and they will revert in due course.
Meanwhile the PC staff came again for payment at around 5pm and, as requested, gave me a bill for Rs.160 before collecting the cash. I immediately sent a snap of the bill to my WA group of IRI admins. What followed was a spate of tweets to the Railway Minister and EVERYBODY who is SOMEBODY in IR.
There was a lull till say 8.30 pm by which time the train had reached Khurda Road. Suddenly 2 staff from the PC came to my bay with a dinner thali. My wife and I declined it saying we had finished our dinner. They then REFUNDED me an amount of Rs. 105 (160-55) and requested me to withdraw my complaint. The guys looked pretty menacing and as my wife was scared out of her wits I had no option but to comply with their request. I immediately smsed saying the amount charged in excess had since been refunded and the matter may be treated as resolved. But IR was apparently in no mood to let go and msgd back saying matter will be closed only after due enquiry and action. I am sharing my experience so that it can serve as eye-opener to all my friends here who may face similar situations during train travel.

IRI admins are now similar to an endangered species of say toothless tigers. However, they are still continuing their association with IRI for sentimental reasons, at least quite a few of them.
Friends, it gives me immense pleasure to share with you that 2 of our admins did themselves and IRI proud with the laurels they won at the recently concluded 12th IRFCA convention at Bhilai.
First and foremost, our admin M.S.Narayanan, membership no. 663767, won the AWARD FOR THE BEST TRIP REPORT beating off intense and severe competition from a number...
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of battle-scarred IRFCA veterans.
And if that was not enough, IRI admin, Pramodh Kommattil, membership no. 53131, was the TOPPER of the preliminary round of the IRFCA quiz contest, among more than 100 delegates at the convention. He was also a member of the team which emerged 2nd runners-up in a closely contested final round of the quiz competition.
AFAIK, half a dozen admins from IRI, participated in the Bhilai convention from 27th to 28th January. Apart from the above two prize-winning stalwarts from SBC, admins Sabyasachi Ghosh and Sourabh Bardhan from Kolkata also participated. Another admin who is no longer active in IRI viz. Abhishek Chanda was also there.
Kudos to the participants and also the prize winners.