Just like on board some flights, from January onwards, passengers on select trains can shop for beauty products, home and kitchen appliances and fitness tools while travelling, according to a senior railway ministry official.

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Mumbai division of Western Railway has awarded the contract for on board shopping for passengers in 16 mail and express trains for a period of five years to a private player who will have the license to sell household products and beauty products among others.

However, the contractor will not be allowed to sell any eatables, cigarettes, guthka or alcohol on board trains. The contract has been given for five years at a cost of Rs 3.5 crores. The goodies will be sold on board trains on carts and two staffers in uniform will be deputed to sell them between 8 am and 9 pm only. Passengers will be able to buy the products using debit and credit cards.

"A catalogue will be circulated among passengers from which they can choose what they want to buy when the cart circulates. We have prohibited any loud promotional activity for the sale of such goods," said the official. 

Initially, the shopping service will be introduced in two trains in the first phase and subsequently two trains will be added in every phase.