Off track: staff crunch hits IRCTC services

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New Delhi, Aug 12: While the Indian Railways boasts of being the largest employer in the country, its subsidiary Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is facing staff crunch in providing catering services in the four Rajdhanis, among other trains.

IRCTC currently provides its services in Bombay Rajdhani, August Kranti Rajdhani, Howrah Rajdhani and Patna Rajdhani. While, IRCTC took over the first three in 2004, Patna Rajdhani came under its reins a few days back.

With plans to take up two Shatabdis from the next financial year, the problem is likely to accentuate for the corporation. Also, the contractors are finding it difficult to cope with the rising prices and withdrawing their services. “There has been no revision in the rates since 1999. It is very difficult to operate under such circumstances,” said a contractor.

However, IRCTC is bracing up to deal with issues like quality of service and staff crunch.

“We are taking up the various trains to provide better services and avoid complaints,” said a top IRCTC official.

“The problem that we are facing is of trained staff. Lack of trained manpower is the biggest constraint. We need people for pre-cooking, cooking, packaging and finally serving the food. So, we are recruiting young manpower from hotel management background. We are training them and will constantly monitor them,” he added.

With an effort to economise operations, IRCTC plans to use its base kitchen in Delhi to serve the two Shatabdis, which it plans to take over. Also, in order to smoothen operations on trains like Gharib Rath, which do not have pantry facility, it plans to provide combo meals.

“We will use our new Rs 10 lakh base kitchen at Rajendra Nagar terminal in Patna to provide combo meals on Delhi Gharib Rath. We plan to provide a wide array of food products like biryani and pulao, in place of the thali,” he added.

Apart from the four Rajdhanis, IRCTC provides services on trains like AP Express, Dakshin Express and CST Howrah, among 234 others. The corporation is also planning to upgrade hospitality and catering services at stations.