NEW DELHI: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways, has been undertaking sustained and proactive measures to strengthen the quality, safety and hygiene of catering services provided to railway passengers.
As part of these efforts, IRCTC has intensified inspections to check the sale and service of unapproved food and beverage items and ensure compliance with prescribed food safety standards in trains and across railways premises.
As part of the latest inspection drive, Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have been formed to conduct inspections across trains and railway stations in coordination with the commercial department of the Railways.
According to official sources, the teams are particularly focusing on the sale and stocking of unapproved Packaged Drinking Water (PDW), unapproved food and beverage products, and other items that do not conform to prescribed standards.
Sharing details, an official source said, "During the inspections, catering units are being extensively checked for compliance of licensing, authorisations, and hygiene and food safety requirements".
Giving details of some of the recent inspections conducted by the QRT teams, official sources said the Lucknow region carried out an inspection drive between 28.07.2026 and 08.08.2026. During the period, IRCTC officials, along with the Lucknow Commercial Department, conducted an extensive inspection drive at stations across the region to check the sale and storage of unapproved brands of Packaged Drinking Water.
Departmental sources said, "During the drive, 117 trains were inspected and 5,241 bottles of unapproved brands of Packaged Drinking Water were seized".
Across the Chandigarh region, the IRCTC regional office, based in Chandigarh, conducted regular inspections of trains at various stations, including Ambala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Katra and Jammu, during the past week. During the drive, a total of 51 trains were inspected and 3,108 bottles of unapproved packaged drinking water were seized.
The Quick Response Teams of IRCTC have also been formed to conduct surprise inspections of catering units across the Chandigarh Regional Office, headed by the Chief Regional Manager, IRCTC Chandigarh, and Joint General Manager, IRCTC Chandigarh.
"In two surprise inspections conducted on 10/08/2026, 13 cartons of unapproved products, which included ice cream and flavoured milk were seized at Ambala by the QRT headed by CRM, Chandigarh", said sources.
Sources further added that a similar inspection drive was conducted at Saharanpur Railway Station, where unapproved ice creams, beverages and packaged drinking water were seized.
Similarly, across the West Zone, during a surprise inspection of Train Side Vending (TSV) operations of Train Nos. 19223 and 19031 at Sabarmati BG Railway Station, the IRCTC team detected the loading of unauthorised “Packaged Drinking Water” and “Buttermilk” onto the trains. The unauthorised items were seized for further necessary action.
Across the East Zone, covering Howrah and other locations, on August 8, a surprise inspection was conducted by the Quick Response Team along with the Commercial Department at Howrah, during which unauthorised food and beverage items were seized and disposed of.
In a similar move, between August 8 and 14, IRCTC officials, through its QRT teams, conducted regular pre-board, surprise and onboard inspections across Guwahati, Kamakhya, Agartala, Katihar, New Jalpaiguri and Dibrugarh. The inspections covered trains and static catering units, with particular focus on unauthorised Packaged Drinking Water (PDW), catering violations, overcharging, staff documentation, hygiene, pest control, equipment and passenger service standards.
During the drive, unapproved PDW/PAD and food items were seized and disposed of at multiple locations.
IRCTC has time and again advised all catering service providers to strictly instruct their staff not to load, stock or sell any unauthorised food and beverage items and to ensure complete compliance with the prescribed catering standards.
"Any violation to attract strict penal action as per the applicable licence terms and conditions", said an official.
Sources added that the QRT teams have been activated in all zones and regions of IRCTC to check the sale of unapproved food and beverage items.
"And IRCTC will continue to undertake such intensive inspection drives in coordination with the concerned commercial department of railways with the clear objective to ensure strict compliance with prescribed food safety standards and to ensure service of safe, hygienic and quality food and beverage services to the valued passengers", sources said.