The railway ministry, it seems, wants to make sure that catering services at stations don't leave a bad taste in people's mouths, quite literally. Hence, it is exploring the chances of bringing its 'stationary food units', including stalls on platforms, under closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera surveillance in order to bring about better management of its ailing catering system.
Clealniness, quality is the mantra
A top railway official told dna, “The idea is to have a look at the kind of ingredients the stalls and other food units, like food plazas, canteens etc, are using, the cleanliness they are maintaining as well as to investigate cases of people being overcharged.”
However, he added, the plan is at a nascent stage because it would require a substantial amount of investment and also extra monitoring paraphernalia as it cannot be merged with the monitoring system currently being overseen by the Railway Protection Force and other security agencies.
“It will require extra monitoring infrastructure at the catering department under various zonal railways,” he said.
Plan of CCTVs on trains facing hurdles
Also, the plan to install CCTVs in pantry cars of trains, first reported by dna in its September 20 edition, is facing technical difficulties, said officials. “The infrastructure required to monitor pantry cars in trains that move along the length and breadth of the country is a challenge. It is being worked out,” said the official.
The catering directorate of the railway ministry was supposed to make a list of trains that would have CCTVs in pantry cars, but that list too has been delayed, said sources.
Positive measures for passengers
The railway ministry has recently been trying to set things right by introducing certain measures, such as SMS service to alert passengers on the rates of food, 10-digit complaint numbers for people to call on, as well as stickers inside trains to bring awareness about rules and regulations governing the catering sector.
However, officials agreed that all this was just the beginning and it would take some consistent and harsh measures to overhaul the system.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}