The supply of Rail Neer, the popular branded drinking water provided at railway stations, has been severely impacted due to civil renovation and annual maintenance work at the Ambernath Rail Neer plant. The disruption has caused inconvenience to passengers, with the plant temporarily unable to meet demand.
The divisional railway manager of Western Railway's Mumbai Central division posted a statement on 'X' formerly known as Twitter on Wednesday, assuring passengers that efforts are underway to replenish the stock of Rail Neer. The divisional office has already approved a several other packed water brands such as Bisleri, Sweet, Zurica, Rococo, to be sold at the station stalls.
"Rail Neer is currently unavailable due to a supply shortage. Please rest assured that efforts are being made to replenish the stock, and it will be made available at the earliest. Meanwhile, to ensure passenger convenience, the divisional office has already approved the provision of alternative water brands," the statement read.
However, local stall owners are facing difficulties due to the ongoing shortage of Rail Neer. Many have reported a crisis in securing sufficient stock of other approved water brands. Distributors of brands like Bisleri and Sweet are demanding higher prices to meet the increased demand, further compounding the issue for the vendors.
"We're facing a shortage of all packaged water brands because distributors are asking for extra money to fill the gap in supply. It's becoming difficult to manage the situation and keep the passengers satisfied," said one of the stall owners.
When contacted, an IRCTC spokesperson confirmed the disruption in the supply chain, attributing it to the ongoing civil renovation and maintenance work at the Ambernath Rail Neer plant. "The Ambernath Rail Neer plant is under civil renovation and annual maintenance, which has impacted production and supply. We are working diligently to restore normal supply as soon as possible," the spokesperson stated.
