Railways to impose fines on errant food contractors

Sources said a recent incident showing rats running on the kitchen floor and nibbling on vegetables inside the pantry car of a long-distance train parked at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus didn’t go down well with the Railways, although the contractor was fined ₹25,000

Mumbai: Taking serious cognisance of complaints over food quality and overall catering, the Indian Railways has decided to levy fines ranging ₹5000 to ₹5 lakh and even terminate contracts for those who fail to maintain hygiene in preparing and delivering food on trains.

Ludhiana, India – January 08, 2018 : Food being prepared in Train Pantry at Ludhiana Railway station, January 08, 2018. (Photo by Gurpreet Singh/Hindustan Times)

On November 14, the Railway Board charted out 28 different complaints against which penalties will be levied, which are mentioned in a 20-page official circular sent by the Railway Board to the Indian Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). A copy of the circular is with Hindustan Times.

Sources said a recent incident showing rats running on the kitchen floor and nibbling on vegetables inside the pantry car of a long-distance train parked at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus didn’t go down well with the Railways, although the contractor was fined ₹25,000.

“Now, the fines for such callous incidents have been hiked. If lizards or mice are found in kitchen or in the food, contractors will have to pay a fine of ₹5 lakh for the first offence; in case there is a second complaint, they will be terminated immediately. They will also be terminated if passengers need to be hospitalised due to food poisoning after consuming food served on train,” said a senior railway official.

Indian Railways has divided passenger complaints into four broad categories, with type 1 being the least bothersome and type 4 being the most severe. The categories and penalty amounts have been mentioned in an addendum to the 2017 catering policy, which also makes it mandatory for catering staff to be in presentable and in uniform.

“Waiters appointed by catering contractors will have to wear tidy uniform which cannot be torn or unwashed. Train managers are expected to keep a tab on them, as even the smallest of violations like uncut nails and not wearing shoes or aprons will attract penalties,” said another senior railway official.

Fines for complaints under type 1 – such as serving cold food, poor plate presentation, delay in service, discourteous staff – will range between ₹5,000 to ₹25,000. Complaints under type 2 and 3 will attract penalties ranging ₹10,000 to ₹2.5 lakh. Complaints in these categories include foreign particles like wood and plastic in food, serving stale food, insects found in them, non-issuance of bills, serving non-veg food to vegetarians, use of abusive language and manhandling.

The Railways is also looking to appoint private contractors who will not only provide catering services and staff on trains but also set up base kitchens. There are 11 base kitchens across the country from where food is cooked, packed and loaded on to long-distance trains, where it is served.

Sources said the whole idea behind the latest move is to ensure that food served on trains is similar in quality and quantity to food served by airlines. The official circular states, “From the experience gained over the past few years, it has been necessitated that Base Kitchen infrastructure, adequate logistics, deployment of qualified manpower to handle food production has to be put in place, not only at originating stations but also enroute stations to ensure good hygienic food.”

Trains will be divided in clusters where routes will be mapped, based on which new Base Kitchens will be designated for pickup and supply of food. These clusters will be a combination of Vande Bharat, Rajdhani, Shatabdi and other mail/express trains.

BOX:

- Base Kitchens will be headed by qualified chefs and monitored by CCTVs

- Uniforms will have the full name, personal details, and messages like ‘No Tips Please’, ‘Ask For Menu’

- Trays will have QR coded menu card with prices