Railways food unfit for eating: 5 things CAG said about edibles served on trains

The CAG has criticised the flawed catering management policy of the Indian Railways after it found grave deficiencies in food hygiene standards.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has hit out at Indian Railways for serving food “unfit for human consumption” such as recycled, contaminated and expired items and unauthorised water brands.

Indian Railways staff prepare a food trolley onboard a train in Mumbai. (AFP File Photo / Representational)

In a joint inspection conducted in collaboration with officials of Indian Railways at 74 stations and 80 trains between July and October 2016, the country’s top audit body observed grave deficiencies in the food hygiene standards.

Here are five things the CAG said about the substandard food served to train passengers:

1. An iron nail was found in a plate of cutlets offered to a passenger on the Lucknow- Anand Vihar double decker in 2016.

2.Fungal growth was found around petha (sweets) served to passengers.

3.Cockroaches, rats, insects and dust was noticed in pantry cars of the premier Duronto trains.

4.Around 100 unsold parathas were found in the base kitchen of the North Central Railways for reuse and recycling, while uncovered food items were found on the floor at the Chapra station in Bihar

5.Buckets of drinking water and beverages were found in the vestibule near the toilet area in the Paschim Express.