Great News For Railway Travellers: IRCTC Deploys 2,400 AI Cameras To Monitor Train Food Quality Across India
Great News For Railway Travellers: IRCTC Deploys 2,400 AI Cameras To Monitor Train Food Quality Across India ( Representative Image )
In a major technology-driven initiative, IRCTC has installed nearly 2,400 AI-powered cameras in more than 800 base kitchens across the country to improve food quality, hygiene and passenger safety on trains.
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has introduced an Artificial Intelligence-based monitoring system to improve the quality and hygiene of food served to train passengers. The new system uses 2,394 AI-enabled cameras installed across more than 800 IRCTC base kitchens nationwide.
The cameras operate round the clock and are connected to a central monitoring facility in Delhi, allowing officials to keep a close watch on food preparation and hygiene standards in real time.
The AI-powered surveillance system has been designed to automatically detect nine different types of violations and hygiene-related issues inside railway kitchens. These include staff not wearing hairnets or transparent gloves, poor cleanliness practices, improper storage of food items, and the presence of pests such as rats, flies and cockroaches.
Officials said the technology is highly sensitive and can even detect insects measuring as small as 7 to 8 millimetres. Whenever a violation is detected, an automated alert is immediately sent to the concerned kitchen manager for corrective action.
If the issue is not resolved within the stipulated time, the matter is escalated to senior officials. In serious cases, action can be taken against the responsible employee or contractor within two hours.
According to IRCTC officials, the system currently generates around 350 to 450 alerts every day. Over the past month alone, more than 13,500 alerts were recorded. The highest number of alerts came from the northern region, while the southern region reported the lowest number.
Officials acknowledged that around 10 per cent of alerts may be false alarms due to technical limitations. For instance, a staff member wearing a hairnet incorrectly may still trigger an alert even though protective gear is being used.
The entire monitoring network is supervised through a master control room established at the World Trade Center office in Delhi. Senior IRCTC officials regularly review the alerts and compliance reports generated through the system.
The initiative comes amid frequent passenger complaints regarding the quality and cleanliness of food served on trains. Railway authorities believe the use of AI technology will help improve hygiene standards and strengthen passenger confidence in onboard catering services.
At present, food services are being provided in 1,453 trains across the country, catering to nearly 60 crore passengers annually. Railway records show that more than 19,000 food-related complaints have been received over the past five years.
In a recent case highlighting the focus on food quality, railway authorities imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on IRCTC for serving poor-quality curd on a Vande Bharat Express service. The catering company involved was also reportedly penalised.
The new AI-based monitoring system is expected to play a key role in ensuring safer, cleaner and better-quality food for millions of railway passengers across India.
