Lalu asks catering boss to go on leave

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has ordered P K Goel, Managing Director, IRCTC, to go on long leave till further orders.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has ordered P K Goel, Managing Director, Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), to go on long leave till further orders. A new official is likely to replace him shortly. The decision came after Indian Railways was pulled up by the Delhi High Court for poor quality and unhygienic food being served on its trains.

The order is being viewed as a face-saving measure.

Goel has been credited with bringing in a lot of new ideas relating to passenger amenities, which also, in turn, earned railways substantial revenue. Some of projects initiated during Goel’s tenure included introduction of cyclic menus on select trains, setting-up of water-vending machines at stations, setting up of a centralised call centre for railway enquiry (work on which is still on), tying up with oil companies and banks for ticket sales and opening cyber cafes and food plazas.

Despite all this, the Railway Minister is clearly not amused with the way IRCTC has been functioning. “IRCTC was set up with the primary objective of ensuring good, hygienic food and cleanliness. It appears to have lost its focus by concentrating on activities relating to property development and setting up of Budget Hotels,” Yadav said. “Our priority is to serve hygienic food to our passengers and any official who does not take care of this will be punished,” he said.

Following a PIL in the Delhi High Court accusing IRCTC of serving unhygienic food to passengers, the Railways has often found itself on the backfoot with innumerable instances of lapses. In fact, a committee appointed by the Delhi High Court came out with a report in August 2006 slamming IRCTC for various shortcomings.

Recently, IRCTC had to cancel a contract with a private party after the latter was found to have transported food-items in the lavatory of the Patna-Delhi Garib Rath.

The Railway Minister also indicated that he was thinking about reviewing the functions of IRCTC. “IRCTC’s thrust area has to be catering and cleanliness. Other things can be taken care of separately,” he said.

Rail Ratna plans may be hit

NEW DELHI: IRCTC’s grand plans to construct 100 Budget Hotels, branded as Rail Ratnas may hit turbulence following Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav’s displeasure at the functioning of the corporation. Sources indicated that Rail Bhawan was likely to review the decision to involve private parties in refurbishing Rail Yatri Niwas buildings and constructing new hotels on BOT basis. While Letters of Allotment have already been issued to private players to refurbish four existing Rail Yatri Niwas located at New Delhi, Puri, Ranchi and Howrah, IRCTC has also awarded 30-year licences to three private players to construct 20 budget hotels. The Taj Group has been selected to refurbish and upgrade the Rail Yatri Niwas at New Delhi.