Question : UNHYGENIC CONDITION IN UTTARAKHAND BOUND TRAINS

(a) whether the passengers and tourists travelling in Shatabdi and Jan Shatabdi Express plying between New Delhi and Dehradun are still facing inconvenience due to lack of proper arrangements of catering facilities and cleanliness of toilets;

(b) if so, the whether the meal served to passengers at night on the return journey from Dehradun to Delhi by Shatabdi Express is of low and sub-standard quality; and

(c) if so,the action taken by the Railways for providing better catering facilities and for maintaining cleanliness in toilets to provide improved facilities to passengers and tourists in both the trains?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS(SHRI K. H. MUNIYAPPA)

(a) to (c): A total of 28 complaints about the quality of food have been received by the Northern railway from Jan.2011 to Oct. 2011.Necessary remedial action on each of the complaints has been taken such as warning, imposition of fine and counseling.A New Catering Policy 2010 has been issued on 21-7-2010, which stipulates transfer and monitoring of catering services to zonal railways from IRCTC. Accordingly Northern Railway is constantly monitoring and inspecting the catering services provided in Shatabdi and Jan Shatabdi Express train plying between New Delhi and Dehradun. No public complaint regarding unhygienic condition of toilets has been reported. Further, the coaches and toilets of Shatabdi and Jan Shatabdi Express are regularly and intensively cleaned during the scheduled maintenance in the depots and also covered under On Board Housekeeping services (OBHS).