Rlys to keep tab on food quality, price

PATNA: The railways has chalked out a comprehensive plan to keep a tab on quality of food being served to passengers on running trains. Since the railways has taken over charge of catering from the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), efforts are on to maintain standard quality of meals and breakfast being served to the passengers on running trains.  According to a Railway Board official, the railways has directed each zone of the railways to set up a cell at its headquarters keeping a strict monitoring on supply of quality of meals and other items being served to passengers aboard trains or on railway platforms. Besides, the railways is determined to stick to exact price as listed on the price list, he said.  To maintain transparency, the railways has asked railway officials concerned to print price of each item on the meal packets so that passengers do not face any hassles while paying for food item served to them on running trains or railway platforms. That apart, the railways has strictly warned pantry cars not to charge extra money from passengers, a Board official said, adding issuance of bill to a passenger is a must.  According to East Central Railway (ECR) chief commercial manager (CCM) Deepak Chhabra, the railways has set up a team of commercial inspectors under each division of every zone to carry out surprise check of food quality being served to passengers on running trains. The ECR has decided to provide initial training to these inspectors at Hajipur-based Hotel Management and Catering Institute to familiarize them with the kind of inspection they are supposed to make, he said.  Chhabra said that these inspectors would be authorized to check premier trains like Rajdhani Express and Sampoorna Kranti Express to ensure supply of quality food to passengers. Out of 80 selected commercial inspectors, 22 are at present undergoing training at the institute at Hajipur, he said.  Medical fitness of each staff of the pantry car is a must for serving meals to passengers. Cleanliness and hygiene are also important while serving food to passengers on running trains. The railways has been insisting on maintaining quality, quantity and price (QQP) ever since it took over catering charge from the IRCTC, the CCM said, adding efforts are on to include `Dahi-chura`, a popular north Bihar cuisine, on the menu of long-distance trains originating from Bihar