Lok Sabha Question No. 6270 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-12
Subject: Review of Catering Facilities
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.6270 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.04.2017

## REVIEW OF CATERING FACILITIES

6270. SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to review the catering facilities in the railways and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is a fact that passengers are charged compulsorily while booking ticket for providing meals/snacks in Rajdhani or Shatabdi trains whereas Airlines are giving option to passengers for taking food/snacks;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  passengers  in  the  railways travelling by Shatabdi  or Rajdhani are proposed to be offered the option to avail the meals/snacks; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a):  Yes,  Madam.    New  Catering  Policy  has  been  notified  on  27 th February,  2017  with  the  objective  to  provide  quality food to rail passengers by unbundling of catering services on trains. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has been mandated to

Contd..2/-

carry out the unbundling by creating a distinction primarily between food preparation and food distribution. In order to upgrade quality of catering services, IRCTC shall be setting up new kitchens and upgrading existing ones. New catering policy, inter-alia, includes the following features for unbundling of catering services (i) IRCTC shall manage catering services on all mobile units. (ii) Meals for all mobile units will be picked up from the  nominated  kitchens  owned,  operated  and  managed  by  IRCTC. (iii)  IRCTC  will  engage  service  providers  from  hospitality  industry  for service  of  food  in  trains.  (iv)  IRCTC  shall  not  outrightly  outsource  or issue  licenses  for  provision  of  catering  services  to  private  licensees. IRCTC shall retain the ownership and shall be fully accountable for all the issues pertaining to setting up and operation of the Base Kitchens and quality of food.

- (b) & (c): Yes, Madam. Premier long distance trains like Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duronto Express trains have limited number of short stoppages at important stations. Therefore, in order to mitigate passenger difficulties in buying food from Railway stations and provide variety  of  quality  food  to  passengers  in  such  a  short  span  of  time, catering  charges  are  historically  part  of  the  total  ticket  fare  since introduction of these premium trains.
- (d)  &  (e):  A  trial  of  optional  catering  services  to  passengers  was conducted on two trains- Train Number 12954-53 August Kranti Rajdhani and Train Number 12025-26,   Pune- Secunderabad  Shatabdi  Express for Contd..3/-

45  days    i.e.  from  7.10.2016  to  20.11.2016,  wherein  passengers  were given  the  option  to  'opt  out'  from  the  mandatory  food  facility.  The catering apportionment charges were excluded from the total ticket fare for  travel  during  the  above  period  for  passengers  opting  out.  5.15%  of passengers opted out of mandatory catering services on the above two trains  during  the  trial  period.    In  order  to  provide  more  options  to travelling  passengers  e-catering  services  have  been  started  where passengers  can  book  food  of  their  choice  at  market  driven  prices through internet/SMS/Mobile App.  At present, station  based e-catering services  are  available  at  357  A1  &  A  category  stations.    Further, proliferation  of  this  service  is  being  ensured  through  IRCTC  on  the remaining 51 A1 & A category stations.

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