Question : Catering Service in Trains

(a) whether it is a fact that over hundreds of railway passengers had to travel without food and security for more than 16 hours during their journey by Rajdhani express;

(b) if so, the action taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether the catering services and food quality in Rajdhani/Duronto/Shatabdi Express and other paid services in pantry are not in the mark of quality thereof; and

(d) if so, the total number of complaints received by the Government in this regard and the action taken during the last three years thereon?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a): High quality food and strict Security is provided in all Rajdhani express trains. However, an incident of delayed supply of food took place on 10.05.2017 in train number 12454 New Delhi -Ranchi Rajdhani Express, where due to shortage of staff, food service got delayed between New Delhi – Kanpur, which is a journey time of about 5 hours. There was no complaint beyond Kanpur as the Service was made good by deputing staff at Kanpur.

(b): Further to this incident, the contract of M/s Ambuj Hotels & Real Estate Private Limited was terminated on 11.05.2017 by Northern Railway. Thereafter the management of catering service on this train has been taken over by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) w.e.f. 12.05.2017.

(c): No, Madam. In its endeavour to provide quality and hygienic food to the passengers, Indian Railways have developed and operationalized an institutionalized mechanism for monitoring of quality and hygiene of catering services through regular inspections at various levels to address catering complaints. Further, to improve the standard of food being provided to passengers in trains, new Catering Policy has been issued on 27th February, 2017 wherein inter-alia IRCTC has been mandated to carry out the unbundling by creating a distinction primarily between food preparation and food distribution. In order to upgrade quality of food preparation, IRCTC is to set up new kitchens and upgrade existing ones.

(d): The details of total number of complaints received regarding poor quality of food served in trains including Rajdhani/Duronto/Shatabdi Express and the action taken during the last three years and current year are appended.

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