Food Safety Lapses Found At 5 Ahmedabad Railway Kitchens; ₹30 Lakh Fine Imposed

Serious food safety and hygiene violations were found at five railway base kitchens in Ahmedabad during surprise inspections by the Railway Food Vigilance Force (RFVF), prompting a combined penalty of ₹30 lakh and the immediate closure of the worst-performing kitchen at Dabba Bazaar in Saraspur.

The inspections were carried out at 15 locations as part of Western Railway's efforts to ensure the quality and cleanliness of food served to passengers. The action was taken under Ahmedabad Divisional Railway Manager Ved Prakash's stated zero-tolerance policy towards food safety violations.

Rotten Vegetables, Expired Food Found

At the Dabba Bazaar base kitchen in Saraspur, inspectors found unsealed spices, spoiled vegetables, a faulty freezer, severe unhygienic conditions, exposed food and inadequate use of uniforms and safety equipment. The kitchen was shut immediately and a ₹5 lakh penalty was imposed.

At the Dharmanagar base kitchen in Sabarmati, officials found a defective flycatcher, rotten potatoes, inadequate washing liquid and a damaged drain grate. The kitchen was fined ₹5 lakh.

Another Saraspur base kitchen was penalised ₹5 lakh after inspectors found that food was being prepared and supplied from other locations instead of the approved base kitchen.

₹10 Lakh Penalty For Vora Na Roza Kitchen

The inspection at the Vishnu Estate base kitchen near Gujarat University uncovered rotten potatoes, flies, poor cleanliness, a missing exhaust duct, raw and overcooked rotis, open spices and the absence of temperature records. A ₹5 lakh fine was imposed.

The most severe financial penalty was imposed on the Vora Na Roza base kitchen in Saraspur, which was fined ₹10 lakh.

Inspectors found that the kitchen lacked an approved vendor list and a proper first-in, first-out (FIFO) system. Other deficiencies included inadequate ventilation, poor cleanliness and stocks of expired food items.

Action Extended Beyond Ahmedabad

The RFVF also took action against railway food facilities outside Ahmedabad.

A base kitchen at Rambagh Road in Adipur was closed and fined ₹1 lakh. A base kitchen on Malgodown Road in Mehsana was fined ₹1 lakh for sourcing ready-made food from another location instead of preparing it at the designated kitchen.

A Palanpur base kitchen was fined ₹1 lakh for deficiencies in cleanliness and food handling, while the Viramgam refreshment room attracted a ₹50,000 penalty for irregularities.

The inspections highlight continuing concerns over hygiene, food storage and handling practices at railway food facilities serving passengers across the region.