Catering Services
Catering Services – Indian Railways
1. Introduction & Scope
Catering on Indian trains is not merely a passenger amenity; it is an organized, multi-tier supply-chain activity governed by statutory food-safety laws, railway commercial codes and e-catering policies. The service spectrum covers:
- On-board (Pantry Cars, Trolleys, Train Side Vendors)
- Static units (Refreshment Rooms, Food Plazas, Fast-Food Units, Base Kitchens)
- E-catering (App & web based pre-ordering through IRCTC’s e-Catering portal & aggregators)
2. Technical & Operational Specifications
2.1 Pantry Car (Self-propelled Hot Kitchen)
| Parameter | Specification (LHB type) |
|---|---|
| Overall length inside | 19,500 mm |
| Max. speed | 160 km/h (same as LHB rake) |
| Power supply | 415 V ±10 %, 3-phase, 50 Hz (train line) |
| Kitchen equipment | 4-deep fryers (2 kW each), 4-Boiler stoves, 2-griddles, 2-coffee urns (15 l), 2-microwaves, 2-refrigerators (400 l), 1-dish-washer, 1-hot-case (GN 1/1 x 20) |
| Water capacity | 2,000 l in SS tanks + UV filtration |
| Fire-suppression | Automatic Ansul wet-chemical system |
| Staffing norm | 1 Supervisor + 7 contractual caterers |
| Menu cycle | 5-day repeating cycle (veg & non-veg) |
| Audit frequency | Monthly by IRCTC; surprise Rly & FSSAI check |
2.2 Base Kitchen (BK) – Central Production Model
- Capacity: 5,000–25,000 meals per day (Modular conveyor, blast-chiller, cook-chill technology)
- HACCP compliance: Temperature log < 8 °C (cold) & > 65 °C (hot)
- Tray-seal MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packing) extends chilled shelf-life to 48 h
- GPS-enabled insulated trucks (temp. 4-7 °C) deliver to en-route stations; QR code on each meal for traceability
3. Historical Milestones
| Year | Development |
|---|---|
| 1877 | First “Refreshment Room” opened at Howrah by EIR |
| 1928 | GIPR introduces “Pantry Car” in Bombay–Poona mail |
| 1967 | Railway Board frames “Catering Policy” (commercial control) |
| 1984 | Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) incorporated (01.10.1999 became PSU) |
| 2005 | First Food Plaza opened at New Delhi (PF-1) under PPP |
| 2010 | Static catering units brought under e-tendering (ZRU – Zonal Railway Undertaking) |
| 2015 | Launch of e-Catering (beta) through IRCTC portal |
| 2017 | Pantry cars on 300+ trains; decision to phase-out & replace by ready-to-eat meals (RTE) due to hygiene & fire-risk |
| 2020 | COVID-19: All on-board catering suspended; only pre-packed dry meals & bottled water allowed |
| 2021-23 | Revival with ‘Contact-less Catering’; mandatory FSSAI licence & QR-coded menu |
4. Statutory & Policy Framework
- Railway Act 1989 – Sec. 102 & 103: empowers Railway to license catering stalls
- Catering Policy 2017 (updated 2021)
- Two models: (i) Centralised (IRCTC) (ii) Decentralised (Zonal Railway)
- Penal provision: ₹5 lakh max fine/black-listing for adulteration
- FSSAI (Railways) Regulations 2018
- Hygiene rating “Rail-Se-Aahar” (1–5 star); mandatory display
- E-Catering Policy 2022
- No exclusivity; open to 20 empaneled aggregators (Zomato, OLF, IRCTC RailRestro, Domino’s, KFC etc.)
- Commission: 12 % to IRCTC + 5 % GST on F&B value
- Railway Board Letter No. 2019/TGIII/600/1 (Revenue Sharing) – 30 % revenue share from static units to Railways
5. Financial & Statistical Snapshot (2023)
| Metric (FY 2022-23) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total meals served (all modes) | 152 million |
| IRCTC revenue from catering | ₹2,847 crore (growth 41 % YoY) |
| Pantry cars in service | 344 (down from 420 in 2019) |
| Base kitchens (IRCTC) | 54 covering 1,600 trains |
| e-Catering penetration | 1.9 million orders; avg. ticket size ₹267 |
| Food complaints (CPGRAMS) | 4,412 (reduction 35 % vs. 2018) |
| FSSAI licences issued to rail vendors | 11,380 |
6. Recent Initiatives & Technology
- AI-enabled CCTV in base kitchens (object detection for rodent, hair-net compliance)
- Rail-Drishta dashboard – real-time pantry car hygiene score visible to passengers
- “Local Flavour” menu: 20 % regional cuisine mandatory (Jan-2023 order)
- Rail-Scan mobile app for passengers to upload food photos; auto-routing to IRCTC control room
- Optical Food-Quality Sensor (pilot at Mumbai BK) – spectroscopy-based spoilage alert
- Biodegradable PLA cutlery & bagasse plates (single-use plastic ban effective 02-10-2022)
- Subway-style “Grab-and-Go” kiosks at 50 A-1 stations (target 200 by 2025)
7. Key Abbreviations
- IRCTC – Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation
- RTE – Ready-To-Eat
- HACCP – Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
- FSSAI – Food Safety & Standards Authority of India
- ZRU – Zonal Railway Undertaking
- CPGRAMS – Centralised Public Grievance Redress & Monitoring System
- GN 1/1 – Gastronorm standard container size (530 × 325 mm)
8. 15+ Railway-Exam Grade MCQs
Q1. The first Refreshment Room on Indian Railways was opened in
Ans: 1877 at Howrah
Q2. LHB Pantry Car maximum permissible speed is
Ans: 160 km/h
Q3. Which of the following PSU handles catering services on most of the Indian Railways trains?
Ans: IRCTC
Q4. As per Catering Policy 2021, the upper ceiling of penalty for adulteration is
Ans: ₹5 lakh
Q5. The commission charged by IRCTC on e-catering food value is
Ans: 12 %
Q6. Which technology is used to extend chilled meal shelf-life to 48 hours in Base Kitchens?
Ans: Modified Atmosphere Packing (MAP)
Q7. The automatic fire-suppression system fitted in pantry cars is
Ans: Ansul wet-chemical system
Q8. How many base kitchens does IRCTC operate as of 2023?
Ans: 54
Q9. Which mobile app allows passengers to upload real-time food quality photos?
Ans: Rail-Scan
Q10. The FSSAI hygiene rating scheme specifically designed for Indian Railways is called
Ans: Rail-Se-Aahar
Q11. Which section of Railway Act 1989 deals with licensing of catering stalls?
Ans: Section 102 & 103
Q12. During COVID-19, which of the following was NOT permitted in trains?
Ans: Hot cooked meals served on-board
Q13. The revenue share that Zonal Railways receive from static catering units is
Ans: 30 %
Q14. The water storage capacity of a standard LHB pantry car is
Ans: 2,000 litres
Q15. Which of the following is NOT an empaneled e-catering aggregator?
Ans: Uber Eats (not empaneled)
Q16. The temperature range maintained in chilled food supply trucks is
Ans: 4-7 °C
Q17. As per latest order, what percentage of menu must consist of regional cuisine?
Ans: 20 %
Revise the figures annually; Railway Board & IRCTC publish yearly statistical statements around May every year.
BETA
