NEW DELHI: Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, informed Parliament that Indian Railways receives only 0.0008% food-related complaints annually, despite serving nearly 58 crore meals every year.
Over the past four years, investigations into these complaints have resulted in fines totaling ₹2.8 crore imposed on catering service providers, the Minister added.
Measures to Ensure Food Quality and Hygiene
Minister Vaishnaw emphasized that passenger safety and hygiene remain top priorities for Indian Railways. To maintain high standards of food quality on trains, a host of measures have been implemented –
- Sourcing meals from designated base kitchens
- Establishing modern food preparation facilities
- Installing CCTV cameras for real-time monitoring
- Using branded raw materials for food preparation
- Deploying supervisors in kitchens and onboard trains
Additional initiatives include regular deep cleaning, pest control, mandatory FSSAI certification for catering units, periodic food sampling, third-party audits, customer satisfaction surveys, and frequent inspections.
These steps collectively aim to ensure passengers receive safe, hygienic, and high-quality food throughout their journey.
Enhanced Grievance Redressal Through RailMadad Portal
To make the complaint process more accessible, the Railways has strengthened its grievance redressal mechanism via the RailMadad Portal. Passengers can file complaints and provide feedback through a unified digital platform.
The Minister noted that whenever a food-related complaint is registered, swift and appropriate action is taken against the concerned service provider, demonstrating Indian Railways’ commitment to passenger satisfaction.
Commitment to Service Excellence
Despite the exceptionally low complaint ratio, Indian Railways continues to prioritize food hygiene, passenger safety, and service quality across all train services. Minister Vaishnaw reiterated that these efforts are part of a continuous drive to maintain high standards in catering operations nationwide.
