Question : BASE KITCHENS IN TRAINS

 

(a) whether the base kitchens are still working at some locations catering and providing food and lunch/dinner items on board to running premium trains;

(b) if so, the list of base kitchen working locations and their supply for the trains, zone-wise across the country;

(c) whether the Railways plan to set up small and medium base kitchens in all running trains and if so, the details thereof along with the amount allocated, zone-wise and the steps taken/being taken to serve hygiene food in base kitchens;

(d) whether the Railways proposes to establish new base kitchen to provide the food services to the long distance trains and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the number of work force engaged for providing food services through base kitchen (cooking as well catering), location-wise?  

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a)  to (d): Yes, Madam. The details of departmental base kitchen and their supply for the trains are contained in the Appendix. As per policy guidelines,  Base  Kitchens  on  Indian Railways  are  to  be  set  up by the licensees of pantry cars on locations/stations based on the requirement and timings of meals to be served to passengers in running trains. Indian Railways has no plan to set up any other departmental base kitchen and thus, no provision for railway funds has been made. In addition to improving the quality and hygiene of catering services, special conditions of Contracts in the agreement of mobile units define the guidelines on hygiene practices to be followed in base kitchens.

 Further, Third Party Audit of catering services are to be conducted at periodic intervals by independent and reputed auditing agencies accredited by NABCB (National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies) as empanelled by the zonal railways. The parameters for audit include all aspects of catering services like personal hygiene, infrastructure facilities, cleaning and sanitation, food safety, storage facilities, implementation of regulatory, statutory and safety regulations, quality of presentation etc.

(e): Presently, about 400 staff are engaged for providing food services through 8 departmental base kitchens. In licensee managed base kitchens, the licensee makes adequate staff arrangement in terms of the quantum of services (meals) to be provided from base kitchens located enroute, as per timings of the trains.