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Indian Railways Fined Rs 2.8 Crore: The Shocking Truth Behind Food Complaints

Indian Railways has been hit with a hefty fine due to passenger complaints about food. Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared that Rs 2.8 crore was imposed over the last four years following inquiries. Interestingly, the complaint rate is incredibly low compared to the massive number of meals served. The ministry has rolled out several measures, like the RailMadad portal and modern kitchens, to keep improving quality.

Key Points: Railways Fined Rs 2.8 Crore Over Passenger Food Complaints

  • Railways serves an average of 58 crore meals to passengers every single year
  • Only 0.0008% of meals served result in a formal passenger complaint
  • The RailMadad Portal provides a single-window system for complaints and suggestions
  • Modern base kitchens use CCTV and branded raw materials to ensure food safety
2 min read

Indian Railways slapped Rs 2.8 crore fine over food complaints in last 4 years: Minister

Railway Minister reveals Rs 2.8 crore fine levied over 4 years for food complaints, despite a minuscule 0.0008% complaint rate on 58 crore meals served annually.

"Prompt and appropriate punitive action is taken against the service providers for deficiency in service. - Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw"

New Delhi, Dec 20

Indian Railways serves about 58 crore meals every year on average and receives only 0.0008 per cent complaints on average, according to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Based on inquiry on these complaints, a fine of Rs 2.8 crore was imposed over the last four years, the minister informed the Rajya Sabha.

"It is the continuous endeavour of Indian Railways (IR) to provide good quality and hygienic food to travelling passengers. Necessary steps are accordingly taken by Indian Railways from time to time to improve the quality of food and services to passengers," he said.

In order to take passenger feedback, the complaint management system over Indian Railways has been strengthened, simplified and made more accessible over the last few years through the introduction of the RailMadad Portal.

"With the launch of the RailMadad Portal, Indian Railways provided passengers a single window system to register complaints and suggestions. In case any passenger complaint related to food quality in trains is reported, prompt and appropriate punitive action is taken against the service providers for deficiency in service," Vaishnaw said.

Among measures to improve quality, hygiene, and food safety are the supply of meals from designated base kitchens, commissioning of modern base kitchens at identified locations, installation of CCTV cameras in base kitchens for better monitoring of food preparation; and shortlisting and use of popular and branded raw materials, like cooking oil, atta, rice, pulses, masala items, paneer, dairy products etc. for food production.

Among other measures are the deployment of food safety supervisors at base kitchens to monitor food safety and hygienic practices; deployment of on-board IRCTC supervisors on trains; introduction of QR codes on food packets, enabling display of details like name of kitchen, date of packaging, etc.

Regular deep cleaning and periodical pest control in base kitchens and pantry cars is also carried out.

In order to ensure compliance with food safety norms, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) certification for designated food safety officers of each catering unit has been made mandatory, said the minister.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
QR codes on food packets and CCTV in kitchens are excellent initiatives! 🚄 This brings much-needed transparency. My last journey, the food packet had all details. Felt more confident eating it. Hope these measures are implemented strictly across all zones.
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Aman W
58 crore meals a year is a massive operation. A 0.0008% complaint rate is actually quite low if you think about it. The fine is a good deterrent for caterers. The key is consistent quality, not just in Rajdhani or Shatabdi, but in all mail/express trains.
P
Priyanka N
The problem isn't just the main meals. The snacks, tea, and coffee sold by vendors on platforms and in trains are often unhygienic. Will FSSAI norms apply to them too? That's where most people face issues.
D
David E
As someone who travels to India for work, I've seen a noticeable improvement in railway catering over the last few years. The system seems more organized. The focus on branded raw materials is crucial for trust. Good to see data-driven governance.
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Kavya N
Fine is fine, but what about compensation to passengers who get sick or receive terrible food? The focus should be on preventing the problem, not just penalizing after the fact. More surprise inspections by independent agencies would help.

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