Kolkata: ‘Macher Jhol’ (Bengali fish curry) and ‘Shorshe Maach’ (fish mustard curry) are everyday household dishes in a Bengali household but not a usual menu one gets offered while travelling in a train. But it has found a special place in the curated menu of Howrah to New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express.
Apart from this, various other Bengali delicacies like ‘basanti pulao’, ‘kosha chicken’, fish fry or cutlet, ‘dhokar or chenar dalna’, ‘dal sonargaon’ (moong), paneer a-la-kiev, mishti doi, sandesh and ‘kheer kadam’ have been included in the menu offered on the semi-high speed train. Breakfast includes ‘chana dal’, ‘trikon paratha’ and multi-grain bread. There is a special diabetic menu available as well. Aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of promoting millets, passengers are also served millet-based cookies along with pre-mix tea.
The curated menu of Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express which resonates with regional tastes of Bengal is one of the prime reasons for it being a hit amongst the passengers. Speed and comfort are other areas which have ensured its high demand amongst the commuters, Eastern Railway stated.
This train is a big hit amongst the passengers travelling between the two major cities which goes via Bolpur and Malda. According to ER, during winter (January 2023-March 2023) and monsoon seasons (July 2023-August 2023), the demand remained exceptionally high. The occupancy rate was above 100 per cent in winter months and nearly 90 per cent during the monsoon season, ER stated.