Videos and social media posts complaining about food served on trains frequently go viral on the internet, prompting responses from IRCTC and Indian Railways. This often leads to public discussions about the quality of food given to passengers. Recently, the Indian Railways has mandated that passengers have access to the full menus and rates of food served to them on trains. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke about the same in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. He explained, “Menu of all food items along with rates are available on IRCTC’s website for information of passengers. Printed menu cards with all details are made available with waiters and presented to passengers on demand.” He added, “The rate list is also displayed in pantry cars. Further, to make the passengers aware of the menu and tariff of catering services over Indian Railways, SMS to passengers with link to menu and tariff has been started.”
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Apart from concerns regarding menus and rates, questions were posed about enhancing hygiene and elevating the overall quality of food served on trains. In response, Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed multiple measures and processes that aim to address these issues. He cited the supply of meals from designated base kitchens, the commissioning of modern base kitchens at identified locations and the installation of CCTV cameras in base kitchens for better monitoring of food preparation, reported PTI.
Vaishnaw also mentioned other measures. For instance, he said that branded ingredients are being used for food preparation, including items such as cooking oil, flour, rice, pulses, dairy products, etc. Additionally, dedicated supervisors have been deployed at base kitchens to check whether food safety and hygienic practices are being followed. Trains also have IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) supervisors on board, who can directly monitor catering services. Furthermore, the Railways has introduced QR codes on food packets, which would further contribute to transparency. The codes contain details like the name of the kitchen, the date of packaging, etc.
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“Third-party audit is done to examine hygiene and quality of food in pantry cars and base kitchens. Customer satisfaction surveys are also conducted,” Ashwini Vaishnaw said. Along with these initiatives, the Railways has mandated regular deep cleaning and periodical pest control in base kitchens and pantry cars. Mandatory FSSAI certification has been implemented for specific personnel to enforce food safety standards. Food safety and quality are further ensured through regular food sampling and inspections by authorised officers.