Western Railway Passes 98% Food, 99.87% Water Quality Checks

Western Railway's medical department has inspected nearly 1,000 food samples since April, with an overall fitness rate of roughly 98%. The department has also received 64 'Eat Right' certifications for 51 railway stations and 13 campuses across the zone.

The Western zone of Indian Railways has executed an extensive monitoring drive targeting food quality, hygiene standards, and drinking water safety. The drive aims to elevate public health standards and passenger confidence across its network.

According to the data released by Western Railway, 357 food samples were tested under the Food Safety and Standards Act, resulting in 356 samples meeting all prescribed parameters, marking a 99.72% compliance rate. Similarly, about 642 samples were tested under Quality Control Compliance, out of which 626 samples passed inspection, yielding a 97.5% success rate.

Rajkot division, Bhavnagar division, and Mumbai's premier Jagjivan Ram Hospital scored a perfect 100% pass rate across both FSSA and QC testing metrics. Senior officials confirmed that instances of non-compliance identified during testing are triggering immediate corrective action, including penalizing default vendors, issuing notices, and re-auditing base supply points to ensure zero tolerance for contamination.

Western Railway's alliance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the national 'Eat Right India' movement reached a major milestone by securing 64 'Eat Right' certifications. This includes 51 Eat Right railway stations and 13 Eat Right campuses.

The medical department also carried out a comprehensive surveillance of drinking water supply, given the operational scale of Western Railway. The Medical Department's surveillance network focused specifically on high-touch points, including platform taps, water coolers, station storage reservoirs, and railway colony pipelines.

Since April 2026, the railway network has executed about 3,879 bacteriological tests, registering a 99.87% overall fitness score. A perfect 100% bacteriological fitness was recorded across Vadodara, Ratlam, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Dahod divisions, as well as Jagjivan Ram Hospital.

About 33,104 residual chlorine tests were also conducted at dispensing points to ensure active disinfection against waterborne pathogens. The high pass rates for food and water quality checks are a significant achievement for Western Railway, indicating a strong commitment to passenger health and safety.

The initiative focuses heavily on mandatory training for catering staff, base kitchen handlers, and platform stall operators to institutionalize safe practices. The certification protocol involves third-party audits evaluating food handling, waste management, pest control, vendor personal hygiene, and the availability of healthy dining options.

The results of the food and water quality checks are a testament to Western Railway's efforts to provide a safe and healthy environment for its passengers. The railway's commitment to quality and safety is expected to boost passenger confidence and enhance the overall travel experience.

In conclusion, Western Railway's food and water quality checks have shown impressive results, with high pass rates indicating a strong commitment to passenger health and safety. The railway's efforts to elevate public health standards and passenger confidence are expected to have a positive impact on the travel experience of millions of daily commuters in the Mumbai Suburban network and long-distance passenger routes.