Western Railway Intensifies Food Safety Checks Across Mumbai Catering Stalls

Western Railway has intensified food safety inspections at catering stalls across Mumbai, conducting 1,523 regular and surprise checks through July to monitor hygiene, water quality, and cooking standards.

During the inspections, officials tested 855 food samples and collected 142 water samples, including packaged drinking water, to verify safety standards. The railway also deployed 48 Total Polar Material (TPM) meters to check the quality of cooking oil used for frying items such as samosas, vadas, and bhajiyas, ensuring repeatedly used oil remains within permissible limits.

In addition to food and oil testing, railway teams removed 1,587 kg of waste from catering locations as part of cleanliness drives. The deployment of TPM meters has allowed officials to conduct on-the-spot assessments of cooking oil rather than relying solely on visual checks.

Western Railway is currently carrying out a special monitoring campaign scheduled from August 15 to 31, during which approximately 300 additional inspections are planned. Officials are focusing on identifying unauthorised food vendors, assessing fire-safety arrangements, verifying approved menu items, and checking the quality and quantity of meals served on trains.

The expanded monitoring efforts come amid wider food safety inspections conducted by the Food and Drug Administration across Maharashtra, aiming to enforce compliance with hygiene norms and ensure safe food and drinking water for railway passengers.