Railway Food Quality Checks Lead to Heavy Penalties and Blacklisting

In a recent parliamentary briefing, the Railway Minister disclosed that the Indian Railways has imposed a total fine of 5.13 crore rupees on catering operators that failed to adhere to mandated food‑quality and sanitation standards.

The crackdown resulted in the cancellation of six catering contracts and the issuance of 54 show‑cause notices. Several licence‑holders have also been placed on a blacklist, with their names displayed on the IRCTC website for public reference.

Every year, the rail network supplies approximately 58 crore meal packets to travelers. Yet, complaints about food quality account for a mere 0.0008 percent of the total, reflecting a generally high compliance level across the system.

To ensure ongoing vigilance, railway and food‑safety officials conduct both routine and surprise inspections. These checks evaluate food preparation processes, cleanliness of kitchen areas, staff deployment, equipment maintenance, and adherence to regulatory guidelines.

Modern base kitchens equipped with CCTV cameras have been introduced at multiple locations, and food‑safety supervisors are tasked with monitoring hygiene standards. QR codes printed on each meal packet enable passengers to scan and view details such as the packaging date, licence‑holder name, and FSSAI licence number.

The railways have also instituted a suite of additional safeguards: use of branded raw ingredients, regular laboratory testing of food samples, intensive cleaning of pantry cars and kitchen spaces, pest‑control programmes, compulsory FSSAI certification, third‑party audits, and systematic passenger satisfaction surveys.

Training programmes for catering staff are regularly organized, focusing on customer interaction, communication skills, personal hygiene, and professional conduct. The ministry affirmed its resolve to keep passenger meals safe, hygienic, and of high quality, and warned that violators will continue to face strict punitive measures.