ZeeBiz impact: A day after Zee Biz highlighted the plight of passengers who were being overcharged for purchasing food items or having unwanted items added to their menu on trains, IRCTC took note of the report and swung into action. After Zee Biz broke the story, IRCTC wrote a letter to the Group General Managers of five zones, instructing them to take quick action against offenders and submit a report regarding the same by May 15.   

Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) on Tuesday issued an order to vendors, asking them to stop the practice of overcharging immediately and avoid selling paneer mixed with food to justify the inflated prices. IRCTC has further threatened vendors with stopping the A la Carte system. 

In its letter to Group General Managers, IRCTC wrote, "CMD/IRCTC has directed that there is an urgent need to analyse the cases of overcharging in trains and to take strict action against the defaulting licensees for clubbing a-la-carte items with standard meals to charge extra from passengers. "In view of the above, all Zones are advised to do an analysis of complaints specifically for overcharging. Defaulting licensees may be strictly taken up, and monitoring should be tightened to avoid cases of overcharging."

Taking cognisance of passengers' inconvenience, it said that the IRCTC will select trains on 10 routes for inspections, and surprise inspections of trains on crowded routes will be done. It said the inspection squad would be small-sized. 

It informed that the railway ministry is also serious about the problem and is keen to take action to stop the menace of overcharging on trains. Considering that the summer holiday season is just around the corner, IRCTC said that passengers should not face any problems while travelling for holidays and the IRCTC is ready to crack down on vendors who overcharge passengers for food items during their journey.   

"CMD/IRCTC has directed that there is an urgent need to analyse the cases of overcharging in trains and to take strict action against the defaulting licensees for clubbing a-la-carte items with standard meals to charge extra from passengers," the letter said.

The letter further said, "Further, all licensees be clearly instructed to ensure that there is no clubbing of a-la-carte items with standard meals. Such cases of clubbing items should be treated as overcharging, A-la-carte items are to be sold separately with an approved rate list."

IRCTC has managers on premium trains, and the railway body said that supervisors would be kept on some important trains as well.   

IRCTC's instructions related to food items on trains 

About food items 

- Rate cards will be displayed at easily visible places in all coaches.

- Staffers who supply food items to coaches will also be informed about rate cards of food items

- Passengers can ask for bills to avoid being overcharged  

- Passengers can complain about the quality and quantity of food items

About water - RailNeer

- Seel of Railneer is mandatory at big stations

- At stations and on trains, only rail board-approved water can be sold

- Supply of more than 65% of the total consumption

- New water plants will be set up to increase the supply 

- IRCTC is setting up 4 new water plants