CPI(M) MP John Brittas raised concerns about the quality of meals served on trains and the transparency of awarding catering contracts. In response, the Railway Minister presented a tabular breakdown of complaints filed by passengers over the past five years, including cases where officials seized unsanitary food from railway caterers.

Vaishnaw said officials take prompt and appropriate punitive action whenever they receive reports of adulterated or unhygienic food or passenger complaints. These actions include imposing fines, initiating disciplinary measures, offering counselling, and issuing warnings. According to the data, passengers lodged 7,026 complaints in 2023–24, 4,421 in 2022–23, and 1,082 in 2021–22.

Ashwini Vaishnaw added, “The authorities select the highest bids in these tenders through an open process, based on the terms and conditions outlined in the tender documents. The IRCTC website displays the Letters of Award issued to various service providers. Currently, IRCTC has awarded contracts to 20 companies for train clusters.”

He also listed several steps taken to ensure food quality. These include supplying meals from approved Base Kitchens, commissioning new Base Kitchens at designated locations, installing CCTV cameras in Base Kitchens, using branded and high-quality raw materials, and assigning Food Safety Supervisors to monitor hygiene and food safety practices.