Stale food on trains: IRCTC orders probe, report in a week

After three reported incidents of stale food being served on outstation trains in Maharashtra in a week, including an incident of food poisoning in which 26 people

After three reported incidents of stale food being served on outstation trains in Maharashtra in a week, including an incident of food poisoning in which 26 people had to be hospitalised, Indian Rail Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has ordered an inquiry into the food served on-board outstation trains.

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“The incident of stale food on outstation trains is being taken seriously. All outstation trains with pantries will be monitored by more than one on-board staff. Food preparation and stock will also be checked in the canteens before they are sent to outstation trains. Along with quality, whether food safety norms inside the trains are maintained will be inspected. Expiry date on every product will be checked,” said a senior IRCTC official.

A report with information regarding the quality of food being served in outstation trains will be prepared in a week. The authorities are also looking into passenger complaints regarding quality, quantity, and price of meals as well as information uncovered during inspections.

IRCTC officials have been asked to check 15 food norms on board outstation trains. The norms include checking the rate list of food items, availability of menu with waiters, issuance of bills, overcharging, availability of Rail Neer (packaged drinking water, availability of different meals, and so on.

IRCTC will serve a show-cause termination notice to contractors of outstation trains whose quality of food is not satisfactory.

On January 11, passenger Madhumita Bal complained of stale bread being served in the bread cutlet she had brought on board the Jan Shatabdi Express. Passengers on-board the Goa-Mumbai Tejas Express and Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express had also made similar complaints on January 10 and January 8, respectively. In a separate incident on January 11, 26 passengers on Tejas Express had to be rushed to a hospital in Chiplun following food poisoning caused by food served on board.