The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has intensified inspections across trains and railway stations to crack down on the sale of unapproved food and beverages and raise catering hygiene standards for passengers.
As part of the drive, the Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways has deployed Quick Response Teams (QRTs) in coordination with the Railways’ commercial departments. The teams are conducting checks on trains and catering units, focusing sharply on unapproved packaged drinking water, food and beverages, licensing compliance and hygiene standards.
IRCTC seizes over 8000 unapproved packaged drinking water bottles in North Zone
In the Lucknow region, IRCTC officials and the railway’s commercial department carried out inspections between July 28 and August 8. A total of 117 trains were checked, during which 5,241 bottles of unapproved packaged drinking water were seized.
The inspection drive was also conducted across the Chandigarh region. IRCTC officials checked 51 trains at stations including Ambala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Katra and Jammu and seized 3,108 bottles of unapproved packaged drinking water.
QRTs have also been conducting surprise checks of catering units in the region. During two inspections at Ambala on August 10, officials seized 13 cartons of unapproved products, including ice cream and flavoured milk. A separate inspection at Saharanpur railway station also resulted in the seizure of unapproved ice creams, beverages and packaged drinking water.
Unapproved food, beverages seized in West, East zones
In the West Zone, an IRCTC team conducted a surprise inspection of Train Side Vending operations at Sabarmati BG railway station on August 9. During checks of Train Nos. 19223 and 19031, officials found unauthorised packaged drinking water and buttermilk being loaded onto the trains. The items were seized for further action.
In the East Zone, a QRT along with the Commercial Department conducted a surprise inspection at Howrah on August 8, where unauthorised food and beverage products were seized and disposed of.
Between August 8 and 14, IRCTC QRT teams also carried out pre-board, surprise and onboard inspections across Guwahati, Kamakhya, Agartala, Katihar, New Jalpaiguri and Dibrugarh. The checks covered trains and static catering units, focusing on unapproved packaged drinking water and food products, overcharging, staff documentation, hygiene, pest control, equipment and passenger service standards.
IRCTC said unapproved packaged drinking water, food and other items were seized and disposed of at multiple locations during the drive.
IRCTC has advised all catering service providers to ensure that their staff do not load, stock or sell unauthorised food and beverage products and comply with prescribed catering standards. Violations will attract penal action under the applicable licence terms and conditions.
The QRTs have now been activated across IRCTC’s zones and regions. The corporation said it will continue conducting intensive inspections in coordination with the Railways’ commercial departments to ensure compliance with food safety requirements and provide passengers with safe, hygienic and quality catering services.