Surprise Catering Checks conducted at Vijayawada & Rajahmundry Railway Station

23 Unauthorized Hawkers were apprehended and Rs 1.15 lakh penalty was realized 

Officials of Commercial Department conducted Surprise Catering Checks at Vijayawada & Rajahmundry Railway station on 12th May, 2023. Total 23 Unauthorized hawkers were detected and a penalty of Rs.1.15 Lakh was collected. The objective of this Catering check is to instill moral fear against excess charging, curtail unauthorized hawkers, unauthorized vending, and sale of unauthorized food products and non-approved PAD (Proprietary Articles Items Display) at Stations  

During the Checks at Rajahmundry and Vijayawada, the catering stalls, major & minor food units were intensely checked by the Officials of Commercial Department. As a part of the Check, the Quality of meals, snacks supplied at all the stalls and major units were checked and found satisfactory by the officials. During the Check at Vijayawada, 10 unauthorized hawkers selling tea and other food items were apprehended by the officials and a penalty of Rs. 50,000 was realized. At Rajahmundry, 13 unauthorized hawkers were apprehended and penalized. Two Unauthorized Hawkers at Rajahmundry were handed over to RPF, for non-payment of penalty. Vendors found excess charging were also penalized and counselled during the check. As a part of the drive, Officials also inspected the packaging materials used, hygiene conditions, Expiry date of articles, availability of vending permits, medical certificates of vendors at stalls. Availability of weighing scale and calibrated measuring glass in all stalls were also checked.

Dr. Pradeep Chiluka, IRTS, Divisional Commercial Manager, Inspectors of Commercial and Ticket Checking Staff conducted surprise checks at Vijayawada. At Rajahmundry, Shri V. Ravi Varma, ACM and team conducted the check.

Shri Shivendra Mohan, Divisional Railway Manager, Vijayawada Division complimented the efforts of all the Officials and Staff, and advised them to conduct the surprise checks across the length & breadth of Division and pantry cars of the trains running across the Division. He said that Division is making every effort with utmost sincerity to provide Quality and tasty food to its esteemed passengers without any compromise. DRM said that main motto of the administration is to provide hygienic, good quality affordable food to the travelling public by adopting best trade and hospitality industry practices. DRM also said that such checks would be taken up continuously throughout the year to bring down the menace of excess charging, unauthorized hawking, vending and sale of stale and unhygienic foods across the Division.