Indian Railways Catering and Tourism corporation Limited

INNOVATIONS
ON
FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY

Prem Narayan, GGM (P&Q) 
IRCTC Corporate Office
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 Outline
• Introduction
• Business Activities
• Challenges
• Food Safety & Quality Innovations 
• Control Systems
• Complaint Management System
• Materials Management 
• Conclusions

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 Introduction
¾ Incorporated on 27 September 1999.

¾ Schedule ‘B’ Mini Ratna company.

¾ IRCTC  started  full  fledged  operations    with  effect 

from 1st August 2001.

¾ Profit making and Dividend paying  company, since 
first year of operation.

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 Financial Performance
(Rs in Crores)
Year 2004-
2004-05 2005-
2005-06 2006-
2006-07 2007-
2007-08 2008-
2008-09
Audited Audited Audited Audited Provisional

Income/ 127.10 267.98 433.54 527.66 590.00

Turnover

Gross Margin 11.78 35.24 35.42 41.54 75.00

Gross Profit 7.93 31.64 30.00 33.26 60.00

Profit after Tax 5.21 19.78 20.23 20.75 40.00

Dividend 1.00 4.00 4.00 4.15 4.00 Interim

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 Business Activities
™Hospitality Services
• Onboard Catering,
• At Railway Stations,
• Packaged Drinking Water
• Outdoor Catering

™Travel and Tourism
• Internet Rail Ticketing
• Tourism Products & Services
• Budget Hotels
• Hotel Booking/ Car Rental etc.
• Call Centre – 139 Rail Sampark

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 MISSION

“To  be  the  leader  for  providing  high  quality 

catering,  tourism  and  travel  related  services 
on  the  Indian  Railways  primarily  and  also 
outside the Railways in the country.”

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 Challenges
• Serving food to 10 millions passengers daily.
• Upgradation of pantry cars
• Upgradation of base kitchen infrastructure
• Trained Man Power
– Food Production
– Service
• Catering Services during late running of trains

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 Catering Services at a Glance
Mobile Catering

Trains without Pantry 
Car (TSV) ‐ 118

• Supplies of food through 113 Base Kitchen
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 Catering Services at a Glance…
Static Catering
• Food Plazas/Fast Food Units – 53 
• Automated Vending Machine – 750
• Stalls – 2950
• Trolleys & Khomchas – 3291
• Book Stalls – 698
• Milk Stall – 249
• 7918 Static units spread over 1008 no. 
of Special A, A, B & C Category of 
Stations over Indian Railways network.

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 Quality Control System 

• Five Zonal Offices headed by RD/GGMs and 10 
Regional Offices headed by CRMs/RMs.
• Five Zonal Control Offices & Central Control are fully 
equipped with Phone, Fax, PC with broadband 
connectivity with 24 x 7 working
• Induction of Quality Control Professionals conducting 
onboard quality inspections.
• Complaints Management System

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 Quality Control Manuals
• Manuals  have  been 
distributed  to  all 
Zones/Regions  regarding 
standards to be followed in 
catering services:
– Base Kitchen
– House Keeping
– Kitchen Stewarding
– Food Safety Assurance 
Programme
• Licensees have also been 
instructed accordingly.

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 Monitoring through QCPs
• Quality  Control  Professionals  available 
over  IRCTC  network  for  monitoring 
quality of catering services.
• Inspections  in  trains,  base  kitchens  & 
food plazas. 
• Provide  training  to  Pantry  Car  Staff  on 
cooking and service.
• To  report  shortcomings  to  the 
Zonal/Central Control.
• Interact  with  the  licensee  in  case  of 
repeated deficiency in catering services.
• Interact  with  passengers,  specially 
complainants.
• To project a positive image of IRCTC.

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 Food Audit of Catering units
M/s TUV SUD South Asia, empanelled to conduct the food audits.
Food Premises Audited for Performance of Concerned Facility Provider i.e.

Audit Scope

1.Personal Hygiene
2.Cleaning and Sanitation Audit Scope
3.Storage
4.Food Safety For
5.Regulatory, Statutory and Safety Regulations Service Provider
6.Presentation
7.Personnel/ Practices

Audit Scope

1.Pest Control Audit Scope for IR
2.Infrastructure Facility

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 Catering units Audited

Units 2007‐08 2008‐09 Total

Trains 271 181 452

Base Kitchens 18 82 100

Food Plazas 11 9 20

Total 300 272 572

Repeated : M/E Trains - 76, Rajdhani – 4, Shatabdis – 6 &

Base Kitchens – 10

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Comparison of Avg. Score – 86 Mobile Units

15.9 %
12.6 %

Service Provider
related aspects related aspects

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Comparison of Avg. Score – 10 Base Kitchens

24.2 %

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 Potential areas identified for improvement

• Upgradation of infrastructure facility
• Implementation of Good Hygiene practices while 
serving/ handling food items.
• Storage of water in Covered Stainless Steel tanks.
• Separate storage of Veg. and Non Veg. raw food 
items.
• Effective Pest Control.
• Training of Food handlers on Good Catering 
Practices.
• Usage of branded items.

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 Testing of Food Samples

• Food Samples are also taken through 
following sources on random basis for 
testing.
™ Railway Health Department
™ Food Audit Agency
™ Short listed agencies during ISO certification
™ Outside agencies

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 Customer Satisfaction Survey
• On‐board  customer  satisfaction  survey  is  being  conducted 
through M/s IMRB International. 
• Broad aspects covered in the survey for on‐board experience:

Compartment Food &

related Refreshment
aspects related aspects

Overall
On-board
Experience

Linen & Bedroll Staff Behavior

related aspects related aspects

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 Customer Satisfaction Survey…

• Satisfaction ratings collected on five point scale.
– Excellent = 5
– Very Good = 4
– Good = 3
– Fair = 2 
– Poor = 1
• Top 3 Box score: Summation of counts of passengers 
who  rated  their  satisfaction  levels  as  either 
“Excellent” or “Very Good” or “Good”
• Onboard  satisfaction  rating  is  available  for  402 
mobile units already covered.

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 Comparison of Mean Satisfaction Scores

Legends Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5

Number of Trains 142 115 50 15 80

Compartment
2.81 2.71 2.6 2.8 2.8
Related aspects
Food & Refreshment
2.71 2.6 2.47 2.74 2.77
related aspects

Staff Behavior
2.9 2.81 2.83 3.11 3.18
Related aspects
Bedroll & Linen
2.88 2.85 2.69 2.89 2.96
related aspects

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 Comparison of Mean Scores over 5 Rounds

3.4
3.18
3.2 3.11
Mean Scores

Com partm ent

3 2.9 3.18 2.83 Related
2.8
Food & Refreshm ent
2.6
related
2.4
Staff Behavior
2.2 related
1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round 4th Round 5th Round
(142 (115 (50 Train) (15 Trains) (80 Trains) Linen & Bedroll
Trains) Trains) related
Rounds

There has been a consistent improvement in the satisfaction ratings

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 Action taken on IMRB Reports
• The  concerned  Zones/Regions  advised  to 
monitor the trains.
• Customer  Satisfaction  Score  is  discussed  with 
Licensees  for  monitoring  the  services  at  their 
end.
• Special  Drives  through  Quality  Control 
Professionals  (QCPs)  by  the  Zonal/Regional 
Officers.
• Repeat  survey  is  conducted  to  assess  the 
impact of improvement due to steps taken.

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 ISO Certification
• M/s RITES engaged as a consultant
• Aims at achieving quality standards in catering 
services. 
• Trains, Base Kitchens & Food Plazas targeted
Catering Units Base Kitchen Food Plaza Train Total
Upto 2007-08 23 8 2 33
During 2008-09 20 11 4 35
Total 43 19 6 68

ISO 22000 : 2005 4 1 - 5

ISO 9001 + HACCP 14 1 - 15
ISO 9000 25 17 6 48

• Departmental Rajdhani – 2951/52, 2953/54 & 2301‐02  
recommended for ISO 22000 certification
 Redressal of Complaints
• Spreading awareness on rate & quantity of standard meal 
through colored Menu Stickers.
• Pasting of menu stickers in Mail/Express trains.
• Complaints through Toll Free no. 1800‐111‐139
• Web enabled Complaints Management System (CMS)
• Telephonic  complaints  redressal through    our  Control 
Offices 24 x 7
• Now, details on  Rate and Quantity of standard menu  also 
available on e‐ticket.
• Complaints through SMS under implementation

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Pasting of Standard Menu Sticker

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 SMS/Toll Free Service on Complaints

• Toll Free Calls to land in Zonal 
Controls.
• Each Zonal Control has two 
dedicated landline nos. & 
staff for complaint redressal.
• Direct entry of complaint on  Or
Log on www.irctc.com
CMS.
• System of complaints through 
SMS on 9971111139 under 
trial.

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 Analysis of Complaints
Year 2008‐09

Nature of Complaints
18% Quality (36%)
36%
Quantity (11%)
18%
Bedroll (3%)

Hygiene (2%)
12% 11%
2% 3% Over Charging 
(12%)
Staff Behaviour 
(18%)

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 Analysis of Complaints…
Year 2008‐09

Action Taken on Complaints

Fine (12%)
26% 12%
Warning (40%)
Terminate (0.28%)
9%
40% Counselling  (13%)
13%
Sugesstion Noted (9%)
Not Substantiated  (26%)

0.28%

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 Shortlisting/Supplier Registration
• Expression of Interest published for PAD and 
non PAD items.
• Applications received from manufacturers 
scrutinized by screening committee.
• Successful applicants fulfilling eligibility 
criteria are empanelled.
• Govt. of India guidelines followed for SSI Units 
registered with NSIC for their empanelment.

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Supply of Branded items

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Supply of Branded items

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 Rate Contracts & MOUs

• Rates Contract awarded for Aerated Drinks, 
Biscuits, Fruit Drink, Fruit Juice,  Cakes, Chips 
& PDW.
• Agreement with M/s Amul for flavored milk 
products and butter in blister pack.
• MOU Signed with M/s IOC for supply of LPG 
Commercial Gas Cylinders.
• MOU under finalization for milk & milk 
products with M/s NCDFI.

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 Introduction of Hamper System

• Vendor Managed Inventory concept on 
the lines of JIT.
• Hamper  is  a  basket  containing  various 
branded  grocery  items  in  the  required 
quantities enough for food productions 
of no. of portions for a particular menu 
A, B & C for a day. 
• Food production is in the slabs named 
as A1500, B 3500, C 2000 etc. 
• ‘A’ stands  for  Menu  A  &  1500  stands 
for no. of portions.
• Hamper  is  delivered  by  Retail  Chain 
Supplier  a  day  in  advance  of  food 
production in base kitchen.

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 Various types of hampers

• Rajdhani meal as per menu A, B & C – 34 

articles.
• Garib Rath – 10 articles
• Staff meal of the base kitchen – 17 articles
• Pantry Car for food preparation – 20 articles
• Contingency hamper – 8 articles

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 Retail Chain Suppliers
• M/s Vishal Retails Ltd. (V‐Needs)
• M/s Aditya Birla Retail Ltd (More)
• M/s Lal Mahal Retail Ltd. (365 Retail)
• M/s Express Retail Services  (Big Apple)
• M/s Reliance Fresh Ltd. (R Select)
• M/s Home Store India Ltd. (Sabka Bazar)
• M/s Esvaran Foods Mills (P) Ltd (Sunwinners)
• M/s Madhav Super Mart
• M/s Vah Magna Retail Ltd. (Vahmagna)

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 Advantages to IRCTC

• Less stock in inventory.
• Less pilferage
• Timely supply
• Quality product (branded)
• No blockage of revenue

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 Advantages to Supplier

• Entire requirement of grocery taken from one 
supplier
• Payment made within 7 days of delivery on 
production of certified bills.
• Entire supplies made in one lot.
• Purchase order is issued to supplier two days in 
advance (Hamper‐wise i.e. A 1500, B 2000 etc)
• Advance planning of procurement of grocery

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 Implementation

• Rajdhani Base Kitchen at New Delhi & Patna
already implemented
• Rajdhani Base Kitchen at Mumbai and Howrah
– under implementation.
• Departmental Cell Kitchens would also be 
covered under this system.

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Food Safety & Quality Aspects
‰ Personal hygiene of staff
‰ Protective clothing
‰ Safe drinking water
‰ Safe serving, hand wash before & after handling food
‰ Purchasing certified products like BIS, Agmark
certification etc.
‰ Microbiological safety of serviced foods.
‰ Food testing & analysis.
‰ Hygienic maintenance of base kitchens.
‰ Pest control in static/mobile catering units.
‰ Use of dustbins with proper garbage bag & lid.
‰ Safe & hygienic packaging of food items.
‰ Following safe & hygienic transportation of food items.

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 Conclusions 

• Efforts  are  in  place  to  upgrade  infrastructure  of 

base kitchens and stalls.
• Encouraging  our  service  providers  for  effective 
training to the food handlers
• More catering units to become ISO 22000 certified
• Options    open  to  Quality  branded  Service 
Providers to join hands for mobile catering
• Railways also requested for upgradation of Pantry 
cars and effective Pest Control .

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Thank you