Indian Railways penalises caterers, terminates six contracts over food safety violations

Indian Railways has imposed penalties totalling Rs 5.13 crore on catering licensees and terminated six contracts after finding food quality and hygiene violations over the past three years. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw told Parliament that the action also included 54 show‑cause notices and the debarment of several licensees.

The rail network serves about 58 crore meals annually, with food‑related complaints accounting for only around 0.0008 % of meals served. To boost passenger confidence, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has stepped up regular and surprise inspections, installed CCTV in base kitchens, introduced QR codes on meal packets for traceability, and mandated FSSAI certification, third‑party audits, branded raw materials, pest control, deep cleaning, and staff training programmes. A list of debarred licensees is published on the IRCTC website.