Rly passengers shell out extra for water at Daltonganj stn

Daltonganj: Daltonganj railway station faces a notable absence of Rail Neer, Indian Railways' packaged drinking water, despite having a production plant in Danapur in neighbouring Bihar. A railway official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "Rail Neer's unavailability is prominent across the Dhanbad division of East Central Railways (ECR)."
Passengers resort to either carrying their own water or purchasing from approximately 10 approved private brands. While these bottles are officially priced at Rs 12, vendors sell them at Rs 15, earning a Rs 3 profit per bottle. Prices can escalate to Rs 20 on long-distance trains.
Sources reveal that vendors avoid selling Rail Neer due to strict pricing regulations, with violations attracting hefty penalties. Recently, a vendor was fined Rs 11,000 for selling bottled water above the maximum retail price (MRP).
With summer returning to Palamu, known for its intense heat, water sales have increased significantly. A railway stall worker said, "Daily water bottle sales have jumped from five to six bottles per day in March to over 25 bottles."
Station superintendent Umesh Kumar said, "Platform number one has a cold-water facility and multiple water booths.
However, platforms two and three currently lack these amenities due to ongoing renovation work, including tile installation.
Once the platform upgradation work is completed in a few weeks, these amenities will be put in place." He however did not comment on over pricing on water bottles.