A Guwahati-based luxury hospitality brand has secured the catering contract for India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train, marking the first time a Northeast-based firm will provide onboard cuisine for the premium overnight service.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to flag off the Howrah–Guwahati (Kamakhya) Vande Bharat Sleeper Train from Malda Town station in north Bengal.
Mayfair Spring Valley Resort on Saturday announced that it has partnered with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) as the official caterer for the train.
Under the arrangement, passengers will be served a curated menu featuring traditional dishes from West Bengal and Assam, prepared using locally sourced ingredients, the resort said in a statement.
The onboard menu includes items such as basanti pulao, cholar and moong dal, chanar and dhokar preparations, Assamese joha rice, mati mohor and masoor dali, seasonal vegetable bhajis, and regional sweets including sandesh, coconut burfi and rasgulla.
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The resort said the menu has been designed keeping overnight travel in mind, with a focus on vegetarian meals, mild spice profiles, seasonal produce and traditional cooking techniques, while retaining regional flavours.
“Each dish onboard has been carefully curated to reflect the authentic flavours, traditions and culinary heritage of Bengal and Assam while meeting modern dining expectations,” said Ratan Sharma, managing director of Mayfair Spring Valley Resort, Guwahati.
He added that the aim was to offer passengers “a sense of place and an immersive experience through food”.
The Howrah–Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Train will cover a distance of nearly 1,000 km and comprise 16 fully air-conditioned sleeper coaches, including First AC, AC two-tier and AC three-tier, with a total passenger capacity of around 823.
Equipped with modern amenities such as ergonomic berths, automatic doors, advanced suspension systems, noise-reduction features and the Kavach anti-collision system, the train is designed to operate at speeds of up to 130 km per hour.
Railway officials said the new service is expected to significantly reduce travel time between eastern India and the Northeast while offering enhanced comfort, positioning it as a premium overnight rail option.
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