IRCTC's new rules to improve catering facilities in Railways; All you need to Know

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: Improvement of catering services is an on-going process. In its endeavour to provide quality and hygienic food to the passengers, a new Catering Policy has been issued on 27th February 2017. As per Catering Policy 2017, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has been mandated to carry out the unbundling by creating a distinction primarily between food preparation and food distribution on trains. In order to upgrade quality of food preparation, IRCTC is to set up new kitchens and upgrade existing ones. Further, detailed instructions/guidelines have been issued to the Zonal Railways for conducting joint inspections by Medical, Commercial and concerned infrastructure maintenance departments to inspect each and every catering unit (mobile and static) including base kitchens/cell kitchens on all Railway divisions/zones.

Apart from this, regular and surprise inspections are done by Food Safety Officers, Designated Officers and Joint Food Safety Commissioners. A joint team of ticket checking staff and RPF/GRP staff also conduct surprise checks to prevent unauthorised vending on stations and trains. General Managers of the Zonal Railways have been requested to monitor such drives personally. Food samples collected by Food Safety Officers are sent to the nominated accredited Laboratories under Food Safety & Standard Act for analysis and testing. Penalties are imposed in cases of detection of unsatisfactory food samples and prosecutions are carried out as per provisions of Food Safety & Standard Rule -2011.

At present, 378 mobile and 9208 static catering units are operational in Indian Railways. As per Catering Policy 2017, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has been mandated to carry out the unbundling by creating a distinction primarily between food preparation and food distribution on trains. At present, IRCTC has taken over almost all mobile units in phased manner from Zonal Railways and they are contracting out mobile units centrally.

As per the provisions of New Catering Policy 2017, the following ceiling limits are applicable for various categories of catering units:-

(i) Stand alone Automatic Vending Machines (AVMs): An entity is allowed to hold a maximum of 10 AVMs over each Zonal Railway.

(ii) Milk Stalls: Authorized franchisee/agencies of allottees (apex dairy cooperative societies approved by Government, dairy cooperative federations/members of NCDFI and/or developed under the aegis of Operation Flood Programme, bodies/agencies registered/certified by FSSAI) are allowed to hold a maximum of five milk stalls per Railway Division.

(iii) Minor catering units: A licensee is allowed to hold a maximum of five minor catering units per Division.

(iv) Food Plaza, Food Courts and Fast Food Units: An individual/firm/company is allowed to hold a maximum of two units per Division, subject to a further limit of 25 units over Indian Railways.

Details of the names of the contractors (companies/firms) providing catering services in trains are as under:-

Name of Company/firm

1. Doon’s Caterers

2. Express Food Services

3. Brandavan Food Products

4. R. K. Associates & Hoteliers Private Limited

5. Sanraj Hospitality

6. Roop Caterers

7. J. K. Ghosh

8. Arenco Catering

9. Deepak & Company

10. Sunshine Caterers Private Limited

11. Krishna Enterprises

12. Food World

13. Satyam Caterers Private Limited

14. Om Sai Ram Enterprises

15. Ambuj Hotel & Real Estate Private Limited

16. A. S. Sales Corporation

17. Poorvanchal Caterers

18. P. Siva Prasad

19. Boon Catering Company Private Limited

20. Singh Caterers & Vendors

21. Alok Kumar Ghosh

22. Griham Food & Hotel Private Limited

23. Variety Pantry Services Private Limited

24. Golden Caterers

25. Hakmichand D. & Sons

26. A. A. Catering Company

27. Hotel Rajasthan

28. New Classic Caterers Private Limited

29. Pplus Facility Management Services Private Limited

30  R. K. Food Products

31. Salasar Enterprises

32. P. K. Shefi

33. Classic Caterers

34. Kwality Caterers

35. P. R. Kumar

36. Seema Caterers

37. Srinathji Caterers

38. Vasantham Catering

39. Fine Caterers & Suppliers

40. K. M. Musthafa

41. K. M. A. Caterers

42. Sai Balaji Food & Beverage (India) Private Limited

43. Speed Catering Services Private Limited

44. Sree Venkateswara Enterprises

45. ABC Enterprises

46. Kannelite Facility Management Services

47. Quinn India

48. Sunil Catering Services