PAC pulls up Railways for lack of pantry cars in long-distance trains

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has pulled up the Railway Ministry for lack of pantry cars in long-distance trains saying that it not only poses a threat to hygiene of passengers but also endangers their safety.

In its report on ‘Catering Services in Indian Railways’, tabled in the recent Budget session of Parliament, the PAC noted that nine trains having a run of more than 24 hours did not have pantry cars. Moreover, alternative services through train side vending or base kitchens were also not provided in some of the trains.

“The absence of pantry cars and train side vending services attracts unauthorised vendors to trains which results in not only sale of unhygienic and unhealthy food products but also poses a safety threat for the passengers," the PAC report said.

In order to ensure adequate catering services for passengers, the MPs’ panel has advised the Zonal Railways to grant platform vending permissions to static catering units for engagement of vendors with excellent credentials and track record.

The PAC also asked for constitution of a task force to address the issues of cleanliness, gadgets and equipment in base kitchens of the Indian Railways.

According to the Catering Policy notified in 2017, the responsibility of setting up and operation of base kitchens had been given to the IRCTC. These were to be set up on railway premises so that the quality and hygiene of food served in trains could be monitored and controlled.

The PAC, however, found that only 16 base kitchens were inside the railway premises whereas 115 base kitchens were located outside the premises and were not subjected to quality check.

“As the available base kitchens were not adequate to cater to the needs of the trains, food was being procured by licensees from outside instead of being prepared in the base kitchens. Further, meals were picked up from outside base kitchens in respect of 128 trains of seven Zonal Railways,” the PAC said.

“Since food was being procured by licensees from outside, it was evidently not subjected to regular and constant quality checks and thus, could not register an assurance for quality, hygiene and cleanliness,” the report added.

India