Relief for train passengers; IRCTC takes major step to improve food safety and hygiene on trains and railway stations

MUMBAI: Train passengers may soon have some relief from long-standing complaints about the quality and hygiene of food served on trains and at railway stations. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has taken a major step to strengthen food safety and hygiene standards across railway catering services by joining hands with the Quality Council of India (QCI). IRCTC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with QCI to improve food safety and hygiene practices across its catering network.

Under the agreement, QCI-certified professionals will conduct quarterly and half-yearly inspections. The team will check whether catering services comply with international food preparation standards and the regulations prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The inspections will be carried out using a mobile application, allowing inspectors to record evidence and findings on the spot. Audit reports will be submitted within 24 hours. This will help identify operational shortcomings, ensure corrective action and enable authorities to act quickly against those violating the prescribed standards.

The inspections will cover food preparation methods, hygiene practices, the medical fitness of employees, the use of equipment and compliance with professional hospitality protocols. The team will also examine sanitary storage practices, including the segregation of vegetarian raw materials, temperature-controlled food storage and pest control measures.

The initiative aims to bring greater consistency in food quality and hygiene across train catering services and kitchens operating at railway stations. IRCTC General Manager (Quality and Projects) Sudhir Warrier and Subrato Ghosh, Principal Adviser and Head of the Public Policy and International Development (PPID) division at QCI, signed the MoU.

NABL CEO Ramanand Nagender Shukla and QCI Assistant Secretary General Mohit Padhi attended the event. IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director Rahul Himalayan and Director (Catering Services) Manoj Kumar Sharma also represented the corporation.