Poorva Express: Surprise check finds private firm using LPG cylinder inside train

The employees of a private catering firm were cooking food using LPG cylinders in the pantry car of Poorva Express in violation of safety norms as well as the contractual terms.

New Delhi: A recent surprise inspection by the traffic and commercial officials of the North Central Railway (NCR) Zone found that employees of a private catering firm were cooking food using LPG cylinders in the pantry car of Poorva Express in violation of safety norms as well as the contractual terms.

The Railway Board had asked all zones on June 2, 2022 to ensure prohibition of on-board cooking to prevent associated fire safety risk. The private contractors, roped in to provide catering services to passengers, were instructed to pick food from various base kitchens set up near stations across the rail network.

"In a surprise inspection, our traffic and commercial officers found that RK Associates and Hoteliers Pvt Ltd, which has a contract with Railways to pick food from its base kitchen and serve it to on-board passengers in various trains, violated railway safety norms and conducted on board cooking in Poorva Express," Shashi Kant Tripathi, Chief Public Relation Officer, NCR Zone, said.

"Since the firm has a contract with IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation), we are in talks with it to initiate action against the catering service provider," he added.

PTI wrote to the firm which did not respond to the allegations.

According to documents, the IRCTC awarded temporary licence to RK Associates "for managing on-board catering service in Train no. 12381-12382 Howrah New Delhi Poorva Express for a period from 24-07-2024 to 14-07-2029".

One of the conditions to award a licence for catering service is that the firm will pick prepared food items from various designated pickup points near outside base kitchens and will not cook food on-board.

Railway officials say the said firm was found flouting the contractual terms during an inspection by IRCTC officials earlier as well and a warning letter was issued to it but the firm failed to mend its ways.

"It has come to our attention that train no 12303-04/81-82 Howrah-New Delhi Poorva Express is not collecting food from the base kitchen in Howrah, which is a clear violation of the tender agreement," a warning letter from IRCTC dated August 21 said.

It added, "Furthermore, cooking on board is strictly prohibited as per the cluster tender clause. Our OBCS (on-board catering staff) have repeatedly instructed you to cease this practice but you have shown no intention of complying." The IRCTC's warning letter directed the firm to immediately stop the "unauthorized practice" and pick the food from the base kitchens according to the tender agreement.

"If prompt corrective action is not taken by your office, further action as dim fit may be initiated," the letter said.

Tripathi said catering firms can use hot cases or casseroles to keep food warm but they cannot cook food on-board using cylinders or any inflammable means.

According to the Railway Board's June 2022 circular regarding "Prohibition of Cooking in Pantry Cars", a High Level Safety Review Committee had recommended this step.

"All zonal Railways must ensure implementation of above instructions with immediate effect and maintain zero tolerance to any instance of such violation," the circular said.