Indian Railways: Serving 58 Crore Meals Annually

New Delhi, Dec 20: Indian Railways caters to approximately 580 million meals annually while maintaining a minuscule complaint rate of 0.0008%, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed in Parliament.

The minister informed the Rajya Sabha that investigations into these limited complaints resulted in penalties totaling ₹2.8 crore levied over the past four years against service providers.

“Indian Railways remains steadfast in its commitment to deliver hygienic, high-quality meals to passengers. We continuously implement enhancements to our food services and quality controls,” Vaishnaw stated.

The national transporter has upgraded its feedback mechanisms through the RailMadad Portal – a centralized digital platform enabling passengers to register service complaints and suggestions efficiently.

“Through RailMadad, we ensure swift corrective actions against lapses in food service standards. Every complaint triggers immediate investigation and appropriate penalties,” the minister emphasized.

Key quality initiatives include:

• Mandatory sourcing from authorized railway kitchens
• Installation of modern kitchen facilities with CCTV surveillance
• Usage of premium branded ingredients (oils, grains, spices, dairy)
• Deployment of food safety supervisors across preparation units

Additional measures feature QR-coded food packaging for traceability, onboard meal quality inspectors, stringent sanitation protocols, and compulsory FSSAI certification for all catering personnel.

–IANS