Poorva Express Catering Violation: LPG Cylinders Found in Pantry Car During Inspection
Poorva Express Catering Violation: LPG Cylinders Found in Pantry Car During Inspection
Traffic and commercial officials from the North Central Railway (NCR) Zone conducted an unexpected inspection and discovered that employees of a private catering company were preparing food with LPG cylinders in the pantry car of the Poorva Express, which goes against safety regulations and contractual agreements.
The Railway Board had issued a directive on June 2, 2022, instructing all zones to prohibit cooking on trains to mitigate fire safety risks. Private contractors providing catering services were directed to source food from designated base kitchens located near railway stations.
Shashi Kant Tripathi, the Chief Public Relations Officer for the NCR Zone, stated, “During our surprise inspection, our officers found that RK Associates and Hoteliers Pvt Ltd, contracted to collect food from base kitchens and serve it to passengers on various trains, violated safety protocols by cooking on board the Poorva Express.” He further mentioned, “Since this firm is contracted with the IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation), we are currently discussing appropriate actions against the catering service provider.”
The firm did not respond to the allegations made by PTI. According to documents, the IRCTC granted a temporary license to RK Associates for managing on-board catering services for the Howrah New Delhi Poorva Express from July 24, 2024, to July 14, 2029.
One of the stipulations of this license is that the firm must collect prepared food from designated pickup points near base kitchens and is prohibited from cooking food on board.
Railway officials noted that the firm had previously been found violating these contractual terms during an inspection by IRCTC officials, leading to a warning letter being issued. However, the firm did not rectify its practices.
A warning letter from IRCTC dated August 21 stated, “It has come to our attention that train no. 12303-04/81-82 Howrah-New Delhi Poorva Express is not collecting food from the base kitchen in Howrah, which is a clear violation of the tender agreement.” The letter further emphasized, “Moreover, cooking on board is strictly prohibited as per the cluster tender clause. Our OBCS (on-board catering staff) have repeatedly instructed you to cease this practice but you have shown no intention of complying.” The IRCTC’s letter demanded that the firm immediately stop the unauthorized practice and adhere to picking food from the base kitchens as per the tender agreement.
The letter warned, “If prompt corrective action is not taken by your office, further action as deemed fit may be initiated.”
Tripathi mentioned that catering companies are allowed to use hot cases or casseroles to keep the food warm, but they are not permitted to cook food on board using gas cylinders or any flammable materials.
As per the Railway Board’s circular from June 2022 regarding the “Prohibition of Cooking in Pantry Cars,” this measure was recommended by a High Level Safety Review Committee.
The circular stated, “All zonal Railways must ensure implementation of above instructions with immediate effect and maintain zero tolerance to any instance of such violation.”
