Train berths are meant for sitting or sleeping, but a Gujarati family had other plans. A viral video shows them spreading newspapers on the berths and getting busy turning the berths into a kitchen countertop, laying out newspapers and making sandwiches, triggering questions about hygiene and civic sense.
In the clip, the family is seen occupying the middle berth and adjacent seats in a 3AC compartment, using the available space to prepare food. Newspapers were spread across the seats, seemingly to keep the surfaces clean, while several women were busy assembling sandwiches.
They arranged the bread, added vegetables and spread chutney before putting together the snacks for the group.
As the food preparation continued, one woman commented that they could have brought an electric toaster along. Had they remembered it, she suggested, they could have grilled the sandwiches as well.
The casual comment has become one of the most talked-about moments in the video, given that the family is already using the train compartment as a makeshift kitchen.
Watch the video here:
The video has prompted mixed reactions online. While some viewers found the family's elaborate food preparation amusing, others questioned the lack of consideration for fellow passengers sharing the compartment.
The suggestion about bringing a toaster only added to the debate, with users pointing out that a train berth is meant for travelling and resting, not setting up a cooking station.
While carrying homemade food on a journey is common among passengers, preparing it inside a train coach raises a different set of concerns. Cooking inside train coaches is prohibited under the Railways Act, 1989, and applicable railway safety rules. The restriction is intended to prevent fire hazards and other risks in a confined space where passengers, luggage and electrical equipment are in close proximity.
An electric toaster, in particular, would raise concerns about the use of an unauthorised heating appliance and the availability of a safe power supply inside the compartment. Train coaches are not designed to function as kitchens, and using electrical equipment for cooking can pose risks to fellow passengers.
The incident has once again brought everyday passenger etiquette into focus, with the larger question being where personal convenience should give way to shared responsibility in public spaces.
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