Guwahati-based hospitality firm bags first Vande Bharat sleeper train catering contract

Kolkata (PTI): An Assam-based luxury hospitality brand has secured the catering contract for India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train, marking a first for a Northeast-based hospitality firm to bring its curated cuisine onboard the premium overnight service.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to flag off the train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) from Malda Town station in north Bengal.

Mayfair Spring Valley Resort on Saturday said it has partnered with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) as the official caterer for the train.

Under the arrangement, passengers will be served a range of traditional West Bengal and Assam dishes prepared using locally sourced ingredients, a statement said.

The menu includes items such as basanti pulao, cholar and moong dal, chanar and dhokar preparations, Assamese joha rice, mati mohor and masoor dali, seasonal vegetable bhajis, and regional sweets like sandesh, coconut burfi and rasgulla.

The resort informed that the onboard menu has been designed to suit overnight travel, focusing on vegetarian meals with mild spice profiles, seasonal produce and traditional cooking methods while retaining regional flavours.

"Each dish onboard has been carefully curated to reflect the authentic flavours, traditions and culinary heritage of Bengal and Assam while meeting modern dining expectations," said Ratan Sharma, managing director of Mayfair Spring Valley Resort, Guwahati.

He added that the aim was to offer passengers "a sense of place and an immersive experience through food".

The Howrah-Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper will cover a distance of nearly 1,000 km and comprises 16 fully air-conditioned sleeper coaches, including First AC, AC 2-tier and AC 3-tier, with a total capacity of around 823 passengers.

The train is equipped with modern amenities such as ergonomic berths, automatic doors, advanced suspension, noise-reduction features and the Kavach anti-collision system, and has a scheduled operating speed of up to 130 km per hour.

Railway officials said the new service is expected to significantly reduce travel time between eastern India and the Northeast and enhanced comfort, positioning it as a premium overnight rail option.