Vande Bharat passengers seat children on snack trays, face Railway official’s disapproval

Children sit on the snack trays of a train (Image credit: Ananth_IRAS/X)

A railway official has rebuked parents for making their children sit on the snack trays of Vande Bharat Express trains, calling it one of the main reasons for broken and defective trays.

Trains with chair car compartments, like the Vande Bharat Express, usually have a fold-out tray attacked to the back of seats. These trays are used for serving meals and snacks to passengers and as such cannot handle the weight of toddlers or children.

Railway bureaucrat Ananth Rupanagudi shared a picture which appears to show a couple with two children. While the parents sit on the train seats, the children are seated on the snack trays, facing their parents. “One of the main reasons for breaking of snack trays or defective snack trays in #VandeBharat and other trains! Even with photographic evidence, whiners would say that I pass on the blame only to passengers!” he wrote while sharing the pic on the social media platform X.

One of the main reasons for breaking of snack trays or defective snack trays in #VandeBharat and other trains! Even with photographic evidence, whiners would say that I pass on the blame only to passengers! #IndianRailways #Responsibility #passengers pic.twitter.com/ykv0VNED9a

— Ananth Rupanagudi (@Ananth_IRAS) November 22, 2023

Asked why the Railways could not impose fines or stricter restrictions on unruly behaviour, Rupanagudi explained that imposing checks also comes with its own set of challenges. “Yes, possible. But 'stricter' enforcement has its own limitations. And frankly, we need to sensitize our staff as well to request, nudge, and then warn the passengers against misuse of fittings and amenities on trains,” he said.

In fact, the railway official repeatedly turned down suggestions of imposing a fine on passengers who use their snack trays as seats for children. When an X user suggested embossing trays with the maximum weight they can carry, he replied: “As I said, a snack tray is a snack tray and let's keep it at that. There can be an endless discussion on design but everything has got cost implications and there are 1000 such seats in every 16-coach train.”