Archive · 8 Aug 2026
Railways Fine Caterers ₹5.13 Crore for Poor Food Quality
People who ride on trains in India were unhappy with the food.
They said the food was not good and the train kitchens were dirty.
The people who run the trains listened to these complaints.
Over the last three years, they investigated the problems.
They made the food companies pay a big fine of ₹5.13 crore.
They also sent warning letters, stopped working with six food companies and banned some of them.
The train company is now making things better.
Food is made in special big kitchens with cameras watching to keep it clean.
New payment machines let passengers pay with phones or cards.
Meal packets now have QR codes so everyone can see when the food was packed and who made it.
Indian Railways and IRCTC imposed fines totaling ₹5.13 crore on catering service providers for food quality and hygiene violations.
Penal action over three years included 54 show-cause notices, termination of six contracts and debarment of licensees.
Complaints cited poor food quality, unhygienic pantry cars and hospitality deficiencies in premium and express trains.
Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said meals are now supplied from designated modern base kitchens monitored by CCTV cameras.
New transparency measures include POS machines for digital payments and QR codes on meal packets showing packing date, licensee name and FSSAI license number.
- Who
- Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Ministry of Railways, responding to a question from Congress MP Chandrakant Handore, with penal action taken by IRCTC.
- What
- Fines and penalties were imposed on catering service providers for poor food quality, unhygienic pantry cars and hospitality deficiencies.
- When
- Based on complaints and inquiries covering the last three years; the exact date of announcement is not stated.
- Where
- Premium and express trains operated by Indian Railways, with improvements planned at base kitchens across the network.
- Why
- To address passenger complaints about poor-quality food, unhygienic pantry cars and deficient hospitality services.
- Total fines
- ₹5.13 crore
- Show-cause notices
- 54
- Contracts terminated
- 6
- Period covered
- Last three years
- Announced by
- Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw / Ministry of Railways
- Question raised by
- Congress MP Chandrakant Handore
- Average complaint rate
- About 0.0008% of food quality-related complaints
- New measures
- Modern base kitchens, CCTV monitoring, Food Safety Supervisors, QR codes on meal packets
