New Delhi: The Indian Railways has taken multiple measures to ensure that the food served on board to passengers is hygienic and conforms to the best quality standards, Railway minister Ashiwni Vaishnaw said in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The IRCTC, the state-owned company responsible for onboard catering and railway ticketing conducts regular training for its staff on how to maintain hygiene while focusing on personal grooming, ensuring service standards with courteous behaviour and proper communication.
IRCTC also sells food in the train coaches atr pre-no0tified rates. Passengers are informed about the food tariffs via SMS and emails. The tariff is also displayed on the menu and shared by waiters on the train from time to time, Vaishnaw said.
Surprise inspections and CCTV equipped base kitchens
IRCTC conducts suprise inspections on a regular basis to ensure quality is maintained, said Vaishnaw. The catering and ticketing platform has fixed base kitchens to ensure that the food delivered to passengers meets its hygiene standards. Modern base kitchens equipped with CCTV cameras are commissioned at identified locations.
It is ensured that only popular and branded cooking oil and commodities are used to cook the food served on trains. Everything, ranging from masala to paneer and other dairy products is shortlisted based on these criteria. Base kitchens are monitored by food safety supervisors. IRCTC also deploys supervisors on trains to ensure hygiene.
QR codes and diverse menus
Food packets have QR codes to verify the date of packaging and the name of the base kitchen. Additionally, base kitchens and pantry cars are cleaned and pest control is conducted every 15 days. Base kitchens must comply with the Food Safety Norms issued by the FSSAI. IRCTC also conducts regular food sampling to ensure food quality and hygiene. Third-party audits and customer satisfaction surveys are also part of the food safety mechanism.
IRCTC maintains a rationalised menu which aims to include cuisines from different regions and cater to diverse preferences including diabetic food and millet-based eating options, Vaishnaw said in his response to a question in the Lok Sabha.
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