Indian Railways to tighten catering checks, act faster on Rail Madad complaints

Indian Railways is set to enhance its catering checks and respond more swiftly to complaints received through Rail Madad, with the aim of improving food quality, hygiene, and accountability. Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar reviewed the IRCTC War Room and inspected systems used to monitor catering services and passenger feedback, emphasizing the need to make monitoring systems more responsive and technology-driven.

Rail Madad complaints will undergo closer scrutiny, with the interface to be further automated for convenient passenger communication and officials to interact directly with passengers to understand their concerns better. The Railway Board also directed the installation of additional cameras in railway kitchens, including PTZ cameras for wider surveillance, to monitor raw material storage areas and identify kitchens needing improvement.

Anantapur station in South Central Railway was identified for kitchen improvement due to roti and paratha preparation issues. Third-party inspection agencies will face stricter scrutiny, with a requirement to record deficiencies and their own performance, potentially leading to delisting if consistently ineffective. AI-based monitoring systems will be employed to detect issues like rodents and cockroaches, followed by appropriate corrective action.

The initiatives aim to improve passenger confidence, food quality, hygiene, and create a more responsive catering ecosystem across Indian Railways.