Ahmedabad, August 26: The Ahmedabad division of Western Railway has taken significant action to ensure passengers receive clean, safe, and quality food. Under the leadership of Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ved Prakash, a ‘zero tolerance’ policy has led the Railway Food Vigilance Force to conduct extensive surprise inspections. These inspections revealed multiple violations of food safety and hygiene standards, resulting in fines totaling approximately ₹40 lakh and the immediate closure of one base kitchen.
A specialized team of railway officials inspected 15 locations, including base kitchens and catering units. They evaluated food quality, hygiene, storage practices, safety standards, and record-keeping.
At the base kitchen in Dabba Market, Saraspur, inspectors found open and unsealed spices, spoiled vegetables, malfunctioning freezers, non-compliance with the FIFO (First In, First Out) system, unsanitary kitchen conditions, lack of necessary safety equipment for staff, and food items stored openly. Consequently, a fine of ₹5 lakh was imposed, and the unit was shut down on the spot.
In another instance at the base kitchen in Dharmnagar, Sabarmati, inspectors noted poor flycatcher conditions, rotten potatoes, a shortage of washing liquid, and damaged drainage grates, leading to a fine of ₹5 lakh.
At a different base kitchen in Saraspur, it was discovered that food was not being prepared on-site, with supplies sourced from elsewhere. This irregularity also incurred a ₹5 lakh fine.
The base kitchen located at Vishnu Estate near Gujarat University was found to have rotten potatoes, the presence of flies, unsatisfactory cleanliness, open spices, undercooked chapatis, and no temperature records for cooking. This resulted in a ₹5 lakh penalty.
At the Vora Ka Roza base kitchen in Saraspur, significant issues included the absence of an approved vendor list, poor ventilation, storage of expired food products, and serious cleanliness violations, leading to the highest fine of ₹10 lakh.
Base kitchens in Gandhidham’s Sapna Nagar Colony and Adipur’s Rambagh Road were found closed, each incurring a fine of ₹1 lakh.
At the base kitchen on Malgodam Road in Mehsana, a fine of ₹1 lakh was imposed due to the unavailability of gas cylinders and sourcing food from unauthorized locations.
The base kitchen in Palanpur was penalized ₹1 lakh for cleanliness issues, contaminated vegetables, improper separation of raw and cooked food, staff not wearing aprons and head covers, cooking with wood fuel in open areas, and failure to maintain necessary records.
In the Viramgam refreshment room, complaints of platform encroachment, poor sanitation, the presence of cockroaches and flies, unauthorized vendors, and staff not wearing uniforms led to a fine of ₹50,000.
Railway authorities reported that some other base kitchens and food service units were found to be satisfactory during inspections.
The Ahmedabad division has instructed all catering service providers to adhere to personal hygiene, safe food preparation, proper storage, regular cleaning, waste disposal, pest control, and consistent record maintenance.
Railway officials emphasized that providing safe and quality food to passengers is a top priority for Indian Railways. Any negligence in food safety standards will not be tolerated, and surprise inspections under the zero tolerance policy will continue in the future.
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