Digital Desk Lucknow: If you travel by train and buy water, ice cream or other food items at the station or train during the journey, then this news is important for you. IRCTC has intensified checking operations on trains and railway stations to protect passengers from unauthorized food and beverages. A large number of unapproved food and beverage products have been seized during the operation.
8,349 water bottles seized in North Zone
A total of 8,349 unauthorized packaged drinking water bottles were seized in North Zone during IRCTC checking.
Between July 28 and August 8, 117 trains were checked in the Lucknow region. During this period, 5,241 water bottles were seized from Lucknow area alone.
After this, on August 10, the team of Chandigarh Regional Office conducted an investigation campaign at many stations including Ambala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Katra and Jammu. During this period, 51 trains were checked and 3,108 bottles were seized.
Also got ice cream and flavored milk
IRCTC's action was not limited to packaged water only. During two surprise checks conducted in Ambala, IRCTC's Quick Response Team seized 13 cartons of unauthorized luggage. These included products like ice cream and flavored milk.
At the same time, during inspection at Saharanpur railway station, unapproved ice cream, beverages and packaged water were also found. These products were seized for action.
Investigation campaign continues in many railway zones
IRCTC teams are also checking catering and food and beverages in different railway zones.
During checking of train numbers 19223 and 19031 at Sabarmati station of Western Zone, unauthorized packaged water and buttermilk were found loaded in the train.
Similarly, during the investigation conducted on August 8 in Howrah, unapproved food and beverages were seized. Later the seized goods were destroyed.
Not only food items, catering system also under scrutiny
IRCTC's quick response teams are also investigating various arrangements related to catering on trains and railway stations. These include overcharging, documentation of employees, cleanliness, hygiene, pest control, catering equipment and services provided to passengers.
The objective of this campaign is to provide food and beverages to the passengers as per the prescribed standards and to ensure compliance with the rules in catering services.
If rules are broken, action will be taken against catering license also.
IRCTC has instructed catering service providers that their staff should not load, store or sell any unauthorized food or beverages in trains.
If any violation of rules is found, strict action can be taken against the concerned catering service provider under the terms of the license.
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