Question : CATERING SERVICES IN INDIAN RAILWAYS

(a) whether the Railways have received a number of complaints about the poor conditions of catering services like supply of substandard food, lack of cleanliness, defective fittings, presence of pests/cockroaches in food or supply of unhygienic linen and water during the last three years and the current year;

(b) if so, the details thereof, zone-wise;

(c) whether the Railways conduct any inspection about the service rendered to the passengers in various trains run by the Railways;

(d) if so, the details thereof including the frequency of such inspection and the outcome thereof during the last one year; and

(e) the steps taken/being taken by the Railways in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 119 BY SHRI BHUDEO CHOUDHARY, SHRI NAMA NAGESWARA RAO, SHRI YASHVIR SINGH, SHRI NEERAJ SHEKHAR, SHRIMATI MEENA SINGH, SHRI SIVASAMI C., SHRIMATI ASHWAMEDH DEVI, SHRI P.T. THOMAS AND SHRI HAMDULLAH SAYEED TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 05.12.2013 REGARDING CATERING SERVICES IN INDIAN RAILWAYS.

(a) and (b): It is a continuous endeavour by the Indian Railways to provide good quality hygienic food to Railway passengers. Zone-wise details of complaints received by the railways regarding supply of substandard food, presence of pests/cockroaches in food and lack of cleanliness, defective fittings, supply of unhygienic linen and water during the last three years and the current year i.e. (01.04.2010 to 31.10.2013) are Appended.

(c) and (d): Yes, Madam. About 34565 inspection have been carried out since April 12 to March 13 and About 18960 inspections have been carried out since April,13 to Sept,13.

(e): To improve the quality of catering services in the trains, a mechanism for monitoring and supervision has been put in place by deploying railway personnel, who check quality and hygiene through regular, surprise and periodical inspections and take corrective action. In addition, regular passenger satisfaction surveys are also conducted. Catering Services Monitoring Cell with a toll free number at national level has been set up for real time redressal of complaints. In case of deficiencies/irregularities in services punitive actions like imposition of fine, warning, suitable advice and termination of contracts etc. are taken under the new Catering Policy. A transparent contract awarding, management and monitoring procedure has been defined to ensure quality covering provision of third party audit of quality and mandatory ISO (Indian Standards Organization) certification of Base Kitchens. For improving upon cleanliness in coaches, the schemes like intensive mechanized cleaning of coaches in the coaching depots through professional agencies. On Board House-Keeping Schemes (OBHS) for cleaning of coaches on run and cleaning attention to trains during their stoppage at “Clean Train Stations (CTS)” and pest and rodent control treatment through professional agencies in the major coaching depots have also been launched.