Parliament Question: Steps to improve the quality of food supplied to passengers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 88 ANSWERED ON 06.02.2026 STEPS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF FOOD SUPPLIED TO PASSENGERS *88 SHRI R. GIRIRAJAN: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has taken steps to improve the quality of food supplied to passengers especially in the Vande Bharat and Shatabdi trains, if so, the details thereof; (b) whether Government has received any plea for the supply of South Indian food in trains especially in Southern Railway, if so, the details thereof and Government's action in this regard; and (c) whether Government has commissioned modern camp kitchens and introduced QR codes on food packets, enabling display of details like name of kitchen, date of packaging, etc., if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. *****STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.88 BY SHRI R. GIRIRAJAN ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 06.02.2026 REGARDING STEPS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF FOOD SUPPLIED TO PASSENGERS (a) to (c): It is the continuous endeavour of Indian Railways (IR) to provide good quality and hygienic food to travelling passengers. Necessary steps are accordingly taken by Indian Railways from time to time to improve quality of food and services to passengers. The following measures have been taken to improve quality, hygiene and food safety: ● Supply of meals from designated Base Kitchens. ● Commissioning of modern Base Kitchens at identified locations. ● Installation of CCTV Cameras in Base Kitchens for better monitoring of food preparation. ● Shortlisting and use of popular and branded raw materials, like cooking oil, atta, rice, pulses, masala items, paneer, dairy products, etc., for food production. ● Deployment of Food Safety Supervisors at Base Kitchens to monitor food safety and hygienic practices.  Issuance of QR based ID Cards to licensee staff. ● Deployment of on-board IRCTC supervisors on trains. ● Regular deep cleaning and periodical pest control in Base Kitchens and Pantry Cars. ● In order to ensure compliance with Food Safety Norms, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) certification from designated Food Safety Officers of each catering unit has been made mandatory.  Regular food sampling as a part of the inspection and monitoring mechanism to ensure quality of food on trains. ● Third Party Audit is done to examine hygiene and quality of food in Pantry Cars and Base Kitchens. Customer satisfaction surveys are also conducted. ● Regular and surprise inspections by Railway/ IRCTC officials, including Food Safety Officers. ● Regular training is conducted by IRCTC to enhance the skills of catering staff, focusing on customer service areas i.e., communication, courteous behaviour, service standards, personal grooming and hygiene. Receipt of representations, suggestions, grievances, complaints, etc., from stakeholders, elected representatives, catering associations, individuals, etc., by Railways at various levels is a continuous and dynamic process. In terms of various feedbacks received from time to time and as per policy guidelines, several regional and local dishes from the southern part of India have been introduced in trains. These include items like Tomato Paruppu Kootu, Vathal, Paruppu Urundai Kozhambu, Vazhakkai Varuval and Beetroot/Koththavarai Kai Poriyal, Matta Rice, Banana Kalan, Allepey Veg Curry, Chicken Varzutharaicha Curry, Avial, Payasam, Nei Choru, Kerala/Malabar Parantha, Kadala Curry, Chettinad Potato & Patani Curry, Kerala Chicken Curry, Veg Mezhukkuparetty, Malabar Chicken Biryani, etc. 1The introduction of these regional and local dishes has enabled passengers to experience authentic local flavours during their journey, thereby enhancing passenger satisfaction. Indian Railways has introduced QR codes on meal packets supplied in trains to enhance food safety, transparency and passenger awareness. The QR code provides complete PLM (Packing, Labelling and Marking) information including Maximum Retail Price (MRP), date and time of packing, name of the licensee and FSSAI license number, enabling passengers to verify food details easily. This initiative is part of continuous efforts to ensure quality, hygiene, and accountability in catering services provided to railway passengers. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd., mandated to provide onboard catering services on Indian Railways, has commissioned a nationwide network of state-of-the-art Base Kitchens. These Base Kitchens operate as per schedules, depending on service requirements. All operational Base Kitchens are supplying meals in QR-coded packaging strictly in accordance with the prescribed standards. ***** 2