Catering Staff on Express Trains Face Difficult Working Conditions, Video Highlights Hygiene Concerns

According to a report by The Times of India published from Thiruvananthapuram, train catering staff continue to face difficult working conditions and a lack of basic facilities, as highlighted by a viral social media video showing a vendor carrying tea bags in his trouser pocket.

MP John Brittas posted the clip on X, which was filmed by Supreme Court lawyer P.V. Dinesh on the Mangala Superfast Express (12617). The video drew attention to hygiene concerns and the need to enforce FSSAI protocols. Railway officials stated that pantry and food-and-beverage staff are fined for failing to maintain hygiene and that instructions have been given for routine checks of pantry cars.

Key Issues Faced by Catering Staff

• Lack of Trolleys: Without food trolleys like those used in Vande Bharat executive classes, workers carry food packets and snacks on plastic trays or near doors and toilets.
• Poor Resting and Bathing Facilities: Staff traveling on long-distance trains sleep wherever space is available in pantry-less trains and sometimes resort to bathing at rail yards where rakes are parked.
• Extended Working Hours: A DREU union member reported that staff may work up to 19 consecutive days without adequate rest, and suggested an eight-hour rotation.
• Contract and Pay Concerns: Workers reportedly earn between Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000 with commissions. Union sources noted that sub-contracting persists despite shifts in the overall contract model, with one enterprise handling nearly 90% of contracts without significant system improvements.

Official Stance and Verification

Railway sources indicated that while staff face penalties for hygiene lapses, contractors are not held directly accountable. Indian Railways has yet to implement a policy permitting food trolleys across all trains. Readers can verify official railway announcements and safety protocols through the official Indian Railways and FSSAI portals.