Railway inquiry committee inspects closed-down catering firm in Kochi
A three-member inquiry committee constituted by the Southern Railway on Saturday inspected a catering firm at Elamkulam, Kochi, Kerala, that served food on trains operated by the Southern Railway and was sealed by the health wing of the Kochi Corporation following the seizure of large quantities of stale food and the discovery of the unhygienic state of its kitchen.
The high-level committee comprising the Divisional Commercial Manager, Thiruvananthapuram; the Health Officer, Thiruvananthapuram; and the Area Manager of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) was constituted on Wednesday when the firm was sealed. The committee's visit for evidence collection was kept under wraps.
The firm, Brandavan Food Products, has a presence across the country and serves food on trains of various zonal railways directly and also on trains catered to by IRCTC. The unit in Kochi reportedly served food directly for five sets of trains under the Southern Railway and another three sets of trains through the IRCTC.
The committee, it is learnt, will not just restrict itself to the instant case in Kochi but will look at the larger issues related to the food supply on trains and make recommendations. At its preliminary meeting, the committee had decided to slap a fine of ₹1 lakh on the unit and asked the IRCTC to take stern action. The committee will look into the quality of food being served on trains and recommend corrective measures, wherever necessary, sources said.
The catering unit will have to comply with all requirements before resuming operations, according to sources. 'Initially, they will have to secure a no-objection certificate from the Pollution Control Board and then apply for licences from the Corporation and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The unit will have to ensure necessary waste disposal and management facilities, clean drinking water and health cards for its kitchen workers. The unit didn't have the Corporation licence. It had a registration from the FSSAI, but its scale of operation warranted a licence from the authority,' said Corporation sources.
The firm has been under the Corporation Health wing's scanner for a few months following complaints from people and has been served multiple notices. The health wing on Thursday submitted a report to the Corporation Secretary on the action taken against the unit. The action was taken under the Kerala Municipality Act Section 447 (licensing for the use of places within the municipal area for various purposes) and 340A (prohibited waste disposal).
The stale food seized from the unit was sent to Brahmapuram for disposal.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
New Tatkal ticket booking rules 2025: Indian Railways announces compulsory Aadhaar authentication from July 1; what it means for passengers
The directive additionally outlined restrictions for Indian Railways' authorised ticketing agents regarding Tatkal bookings. New tatkal ticket booking rules from July 1: In a big move, Indian Railways has announced that from July 1, 2025 onwards, only Aadhaar authenticated users will be able to book tatkal train tickets. The Railway Ministry has issued a directive on June 10, 2025, to all railway zones, stating that this requirement aims "to ensure that the benefits of the Tatkal Scheme are received by the common end users. " The official communication specified that "With effect from 01-07-2025, tickets under Tatkal scheme can be booked through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation ( IRCTC )/ its app only by Aadhaar authenticated users." Furthermore, the ministry has stipulated that from July 15, 2025, passengers will need to complete an additional Aadhaar-based OTP authentication step for Tatkal bookings. Also Read | In just 15 years! China builds world's largest bullet train network; where does India stand on high-speed rail? New Tatkal Ticket Rules 2025 Explained: From July 1, 2025, train tickets under the Indian Railways' Tatkal scheme will be exclusively available for booking through the IRCTC website or its mobile application only for passengers or users who have completed their Aadhaar authentication process. Additionally, starting July 15, 2025, the ministry has mandated that travellers must undergo a supplementary Aadhaar-linked OTP verification process whilst making Tatkal reservations. The directive additionally outlined restrictions for Indian Railways' authorised ticketing agents regarding Tatkal bookings. These agents will face a prohibition on securing first-day Tatkal tickets during the initial 30-minute period of the booking window. The restriction applies from 10.00 am to 10.30 am for air-conditioned classes and from 11.00 am to 11.30 am for non-air-conditioned classes. The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have received instructions from the ministry to implement required system alterations and relay these updates to every zonal railway division. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
The Hindu
18 hours ago
- The Hindu
Mammoth UGD charges upset Coimbatore residents
Residents across Coimbatore city are reporting alarmingly high Under Ground Drainage (UGD) user charges on the civic body's online payment portal, with demands for some properties extending into lakhs of rupees. Coimbatore Corporation had recently passed a resolution stipulating revised monthly UGD user charges, to be assessed based on the size of buildings. As per the revised structure, residential buildings up to 600 are to be charged ₹120 per month; 601 to 1,200 at ₹150; 1,201 to 1,800 at ₹180; 1,801 to 3,500 at ₹210; 3,501 to 5,000 at ₹250; 5,001 to 10,000 at ₹280; and properties above 10,000 at ₹300 per month. However, several residents have discovered significantly inflated figures on the citizen web portal, where property taxes are also managed. P. Srinivasan, a resident of Gandhipark, said, 'The Corporation recently provided me with the UGD connection book, similar to property and water tax documents. Although no payment demand was explicitly made, I checked my account online and was shocked. My building falls within the 1,801 to 3,500 slab, which, as per the newly proposed ₹210 per month, would only amount to approximately ₹22,680 from 2017 to 2025. Yet, the portal shows a demand of ₹3,30,000.' A similar situation was reported by a resident in Nanjundapuram. For an 1,100 sqft building, the expected charge for nine years (at ₹150 per month) should be ₹16,200. However, the total displayed demand was ₹1,36,000. K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of the Coimbatore Consumer Cause, emphasised the need for clarity. 'The State government must clarify the basis on which these charges are calculated, as there is a complete lack of transparency. Given that there were no regular monthly charges for paid UGD previously, when the civic body begins collection, it should be well-prepared to avoid such errors,' he stated. According to a senior Corporation official, any reported discrepancies will be investigated. They aim to ascertain if these are isolated cases or part of a wider problem, with steps taken to resolve them.
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- The Hindu
Distribution of 56 kiosks marks first phase of roadside vendors' rehabilitation
The Kochi Corporation has initiated the rehabilitation of roadside vendors, starting with the distribution of kiosks to 56 vendors in Fort Kochi as part of the first phase on Tuesday (June 10). The move was in keeping with the provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. Cochin Smart Mission Limited designed and built the kiosks. In the next phase, roadside vendors will be moved into dedicated vending zones. No vendor will be allowed space beyond 25 sq ft. Vending hindering the movement of pedestrians will not be allowed, nor will they be permitted to expand the vending space by drawing overhead sheets, said Mayor M. Anilkumar. An effective rehabilitation plan will be drawn up. Even smaller kiosks are being prepared at select locations. Vendors will be responsible for the treatment of waste that their units generate. Encroachment on roads will not be allowed. The Corporation Council has taken all necessary measures for a more beautiful Kochi. The Act, among other things, has provisions for issuing identity cards to vendors, their registration, and the identification of vending zones. The town vending committee played a critical role in the rehabilitation of roadside vendors. The Corporation has identified 2,351 vendors through a survey conducted with the help of various agencies. So far, 69 vending zones have been recognised. Nine representatives have been elected from among the recognised roadside vendors. Mr. Anilkumar hailed the cooperation extended by various trade unions to the endeavour. According to the Act, municipal corporations are required to draw up separate vending by-laws. Councillors P.S. Viju, Priya Prashanth, Antony Kureethara, and V.K. Minimol were entrusted with preparing the by-law. The draft by-law was approved by the vending committee and the Corporation Council and submitted to the State government, which approved it on October 9, 2023. The government approved the vending plan on June 27, 2024. Mr. Anilkumar said the Corporation was the first civic body in the State to prepare a vending by-law and vending plan and identify separate vending zones. 'The by-law prepared by us now serves as a guide for other corporations,' he said in his inaugural address after distributing the vending kiosks. Deputy Mayor K.A. Ansiya presided over.
