- IRCTC fined one lakh rupees and issued a show cause notice to a food vendor on Tejas Express
- A passenger found a fly in Veg Biryani served in a combo meal on board the train
- The vendor must ensure fresh raw materials and verify ingredient quality before use
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has imposed a one lakh rupee fine and a show cause notice for termination of the license of the food vendor after a passenger alleged a fly was found in his meal served on board the Tejas Express.
The passenger reported a fly was found in Veg Biryani served in a combo meal, officials said. The said passenger was attended to immediately by the Train Captain along with the on-board catering manager and was apologised for the inconvenience caused. Replacement for the food was also provided to the passenger.
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The vendor has been instructed to ensure procurement of fresh raw materials with adequate shelf life and to verify the quality of all ingredients before use. Further, regular checks of the air-tightness and condition of storage containers used for rice, pulses, atta, spices, etc.
Further details are awaited in the incident. Earlier, on May 28, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a formal notice to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) following a viral video allegedly showing catering staff washing utensils inside a train toilet, sources said. The action was taken after a video began circulating on social media platforms, purportedly showing contractual personnel engaged for onboard catering services washing utensils in the toilet of the Duronto Express train.
According to the FSSAI, the incident is in direct contravention of the hygiene and sanitary requirements prescribed under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.