NEW DELHI. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Quality Council of India (QCI) to strengthen food safety, hygiene and quality standards across mobile catering units on trains and static catering facilities at railway stations. Announced in New Delhi on October 15, 2026, the partnership aims to introduce a technology-driven, independent third-party audit mechanism to enhance compliance and improve the dining experience for railway passengers. Under the agreement, QCI will deploy certified professionals to conduct unannounced quarterly and half-yearly inspections to assess adherence to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations and prescribed hygiene requirements.
The audits will cover food preparation, storage, handling, sanitation and other operational practices at catering facilities. The MoU was signed by Sudhir Warrier, General Manager (Quality & Projects), IRCTC, and Subroto Ghosh, Principal Advisor and Head of PPID, QCI. The signing ceremony was attended by Rahul Himalian, Chairman and Managing Director of IRCTC; Manoj Kumar Sharma, Director (Catering Services), IRCTC; Ramanand Nagendra Shukla, CEO of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL); and Mohit Padhy, Assistant Secretary General, QCI. The initiative is expected to strengthen monitoring, accountability and food safety practices across railway catering services.
