The Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corp (IRCTC) has implemented a “Proof of Concept” to provide passengers with fresh, hygienically prepared restaurant-quality meals onboard Indian Railways trains. This marks a revolutionary change in the training and operational standards for catering on Indian Railways. The IRCTC will work with reputed restaurant brands and air catering companies to accomplish this goal.
New Food Model for Passengers
IRCTC, under the Ministry of Railways, serves approximately 16.5 lakh meals daily. The responsibility for food preparation and serving has been separated. Under this model, experienced food brands will prepare meals on a large scale and supply them to the trains.
These Reputed Brands are Supplying Food
This PoC has been launched on selected trains in various railway zones across the country, especially on the new generation Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains. Haldiram’s, Elior, Casino Air Caterers, ISKCON, and other renowned brands are supplying food on these trains.
The purpose of this test, according to IRCTC, is to check the entire process of the kitchen standards, food preparation, packaging, transportation, and the way food is served. The model for the new menu includes local flavours, healthful food and better presentation of food.
USIR also plans to implement this new menu model on long-distance trains.
According to IRCTC’s official statements, so far the response from passengers about this new model is very positive. The food has improved in terms of taste, freshness, and cleanliness. In conclusion, IRCTC plans to establish future policies based on what they learn from this Proof of Concept (POC) and if the model proves effective, then it may be applied on all long-distance trains.