Following is what IRCTC says about itself on its Website:
?The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) is a public sector company set up and fully owned by the Ministry of Railways. The IRCTC has been incorporated under the Companies Act 1956 and has its Registered Office at 9th Floor, Bank of Baroda Building, Sansad Marg, New Delhi 110001.
This company has been formed to function as an extended arm of the Indian Railways to upgrade, professionalise and manage the catering and hospitality services at stations, on trains and other locations and to promote domestic and international tourism through development of budget hotels, special tour packages, information & commercial publicity and global reservation systems under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding between IRCTC Ltd. and Indian Railways dated 12.04.2002.?
I have visited this Website and the only info/service available is on reservation system - Online Rail Ticket Booking. There is nothing on the Website about the catering and hospitality services and promoting domestic and international tourism. What has happened to the Memorandum of Understanding between IRCTC Ltd. and Indian Railways? Many people like me must have wasted lot of time on the Website in the hope that they would get some information on these services, and/or would be able to provide feedback to IRCTC on their experiences about the quality of catering services on trains.
Some time back I had travelled by Kalka Shatabdi from New Delhi to Chandigarh. When tea was served I found that Catering Services being provided by Indian railways on the train were certified for ISO 9001:2000 and HACCP Based Food Safety Management systems. It was a pleasant surprise for me. After reading this printed message on paper nepkin and packages of some food items, my whole perception changed and I naturally started expecting a catering service and food of a higher standard and hygiene . But to my surprise I discovered during the course of onward and backward journey that it was only a printed matter. No official on the train was aware of it. Catering staff was totally ignorant of this.
Bottle of Kingfisher Premium packaged drinking water (ISI Marked) served on the train was not having manufacturing date and batch number printed on the label or bottle. This information is essentially required as per law of the land ? Indian standard on packaged drinking water, Packaged Commodity Act & Rules etc. Thermal jug containing hot water and plastic cup for drinking tea/coffee were not properly cleaned and were having stains on them. Where food items were cooked and whether that kitchen and cooking personnel had followed good manufacturing and hygienic practices could not be ascertained due to lack of information and any documentary evidence.
In short there was no visible evidence of compliance to ISO 9001 & HACCP systems except the printed matter. This unsatisfactory catering service prompted me to visit this Website and I was more surprised to find no information on the Website related to catering services for which IRCTC has been created by Indian railways.
I had sent an e-mail message through ?Contact Us? button on Website but no reply was received. IRCTC.CO.IN is an incomplete Website. My experience has been very unsatisfactory.
I have not booked any ticket online, and, as such, would not like to comment on the quality of service this Website is providing to its customers.