With summer underway, the demand for drinking water among travelers has increased. Although the sale of bottled water during travel is usually high, Rail Neer will not be available at many railway stations until July.
Due to a production shortfall at the Ambernath plant in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the Indian Railways has decided to reduce the supply of bottled water sold under the Rail Neer brand. As a result, Rail Neer will not be sold at stations on the Western Railway from Borivali to Surat, and on the Central Railway from Thane to Karjat.
According to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), which operates the Ambernath plant, these restrictions will be in place from March 10 to June 30.
Railway sources said that catering stalls at stations have been informed about this shortage, and the railways will allow them to sell bottled water from private brands as an alternative.
Rail Neer bottles are sold at INR 14 per bottle, while other brands are priced about INR 1 higher. The Ambernath plant of IRCTC has a production capacity of 14,500 cartons per day, with 12 bottles in each carton. During summer, demand at stations typically exceeds supply by 4,500–5,000 cartons per day.
An IRCTC official stated, “We have informed both Western and Central Railways and allowed them to sell bottles from other approved brands.”
While IRCTC usually reduces supply by 10–12 days each summer, this is the first time such a long-term shortage has occurred.
IRCTC has now received approval for a second production line at the Ambernath plant, which will increase production to 29,000 bottles per day. The project, starting this month, is expected to be completed next year and is estimated to cost INR 50 crore.
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