| 1. Controlling Ministry |
Ministry of Railways, Railway Board (Traffic Commercial Directorate) |
| 2. Policy Name |
“Catering Policy 2017” (amended 2021) – basis for all canteen & stall licences |
| 3. Licence Issuing Authority |
IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation) on behalf of Zonal Railways |
| 4. Licence Validity |
1 year; renewable annually up to 5 years (max 5-year tenure at one stretch) |
| 5. Licence Fee (Base) |
₹15,000 per annum per unit + GST (non-AC); ₹25,000 for AC/retiring rooms |
| 6. Security Deposit |
₹1 lakh (refundable) + one-month licence fee as advance |
| 7. Monthly Royalty |
12 % of gross monthly sale or minimum guaranteed amount (MGA), whichever is higher |
| 8. Eligible Vendors |
FSSAI-licensed individuals, SHGs, ex-servicemen, widows of railway staff, SC/ST/OBC/Minority, start-ups |
| 9. Allotment Mode |
100 % e-auction through IRCTC portal (no manual tenders) |
| 10. Pref. Category |
25 % units reserved for Divyang (PWD), 15 % for women, 10 % for ex-servicemen |
| 11. Menu Price Cap |
IRCTC fixes MRP; no item can be sold above 50 % of open-market MRP |
| 12. Quality Audit |
Third-party hygiene audit every 6 months; rating displayed on “Food on Track” app |
| 13. Penalty for Overpricing |
1st offence ₹10,000; 2nd ₹25,000; 3rd cancellation + forfeiture of deposit |
| 14. Digital Payment |
Mandatory 100 % digital billing through IRCTC “Canteen Wallet” QR code |
| 15. GST on Sale |
5 % (composition scheme) collected by licensee & deposited monthly |
| 16. Power Tariff |
Non-domestic; charged at railway tariff rate, not domestic rate |
| 17. Water Charges |
₹500 per 1,000 ltr or actual, whichever is higher |
| 18. Fire & Safety |
Licensee must obtain NOC from Chief Safety Officer & maintain 2 kg CO₂ extinguishers |
| 19. Exit Clause |
30-day notice either side; unscheduled closure invites 3-year ban from re-bidding |
| 20. Grievance Redressal |
24×7 toll-free 139 & RailMadad portal; IRCTC to resolve within 72 hrs |
BETA
