Railways receives nearly 5,000 complaints on catering in 2015

As many as 4,969 complaints regarding catering services in long distance and premium trains were lodged last year and a series of action including termination of contracts have been taken, Lok Sabha was informed on March 16.

"Action taken on defaulting licensees during the year (2015) include warning in 1,203 cases, imposition of fines in 2,321 cases and termination of contracts in one case, depending on the gravity of the offence," Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said during Question Hour.

The Minister said announcements have already been made regarding 10 IRCTC operated mechanised and sophisticated base kitchens, extension of e-catering services from existing 45 large stations to all A-1 and A class stations, introduction of multipurpose stalls at stations and exploring possibility of making mandatory catering services optional in trains.

"To ensure the desired level of quality in catering services, third party audit has been mandated in the budget pronouncement. Enforcement of reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, Women, Divyang etc. in catering and other minor unit has been stipulated in the budget," he said.

Sinha said corrective measures were being taken to improve catering, which include introduction of station-based e-catering at all A1 and A category stations to widen the range of options available to passengers for ordering food of their choice, introduction of pre-cooked food in the range of options available to passengers.