Mumbai: Deccan Queen to have electric sigri, induction to serve freshly cooked food to passengers

Representative Image

Passengers will be greeted to a new ambience aboard the Deccan Queen, whose upgraded coaches come with facilities to cook and serve fresh meals and hot drinks, from today onwards. The train is being converted from the old ICF (Integral Coach Factory) class to newer LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) class with swank coaches.

The Deccan Queen is the only passenger train that has a functional dining car. The new 40-seater dining car has 10 dining tables; each has four chairs along the panoramic windows. Half of the coach has a well-equipped kitchen with provisions for pantry storage, electric cooking range, deep freezers and even a refrigerator, service table, multiple sinks and service counters for the manager.

"As of now, the old menu continues with the new train [with upgraded coaches]. We can explore new flavours anytime, as per demand. According to the board directives, the gas cylinders have been banned for safety reasons, but cooking will be done with induction and electric sigri (brazier)," said CR CPRO officer Shivaji Sutar.

The existing menu includes both vegetarian - veg cutlet, baked beans, potato chips, cheese toast, butter toast, veg sandwich and cheese sandwich; and non-vegetarian dishes - omelette butter toast, chicken cutlet and cheese omelette.

The new Deccan Queen train will only have 15 cars, as per the revised coach composition: four AC Chair Car, eight Second Class Chair Car, One Vistadome coach, One AC Dining Car, Guard cum brake van plus Generator Car.