The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has warned passengers against ordering food during train journeys through unauthorised websites and mobile applications. Citing concerns over food safety, financial fraud and data theft, the railway PSU has stepped up its crackdown on unauthorised e-catering platforms and urged passengers to use only its official website, Food on Track app or authorised partners. Scroll down to know more.
IRCTC Warns Passengers Against Unauthorised Food Ordering Apps
In a statement, IRCTC said the growing number of unauthorised e-catering platforms poses risks to passengers’ health, hygiene and overall safety. It pointed out that such platforms may source meals from unlicensed food outlets that do not follow the prescribed Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations.
According to IRCTC, some of these outlets may operate in unhygienic conditions, employ untrained food handlers and use delivery personnel who have not undergone mandatory medical examinations. The railway PSU also cautioned passengers against sharing sensitive information, including Passenger Name Record (PNR) details, email addresses, mobile numbers and payment credentials such as debit or credit card and UPI details on unverified platforms. Such information could expose users to phishing attacks, identity misuse and financial fraud.
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IRCTC has identified the following websites as some of the unauthorised e-catering operators:
- Railrestro.com
- Railrestro.in
- Railmitra.com
- Travelkhana.com
- Trainscafe.com
- Dibrail.com
- Railfood.net
- Travelerfood.com
- Foodontrack.in
- Ecatering.app
- Khanaonline.in
- Trainway.in
- Railmeal.com
- Trainmenu.com
IRCTC further warned that passengers ordering through these platforms could face cancelled, delayed or undelivered food orders, often without access to proper customer support or a grievance-redressal mechanism. Recovering money or pursuing complaints could also become difficult.
The railway PSU has also highlighted the financial and regulatory implications of unauthorised operations, stating that such platforms may evade applicable statutory tax obligations, affecting fair competition and causing potential losses to the public exchequer.
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Check IRCTC-Authorised Food Partners Before Ordering
To avoid these risks, IRCTC has advised passengers to place food orders only through its official e-Catering website, Food on Track mobile application or authorised food aggregators. These channels are intended to ensure food safety, verified billing and secure payment processing.
The authorised food aggregators listed by IRCTC include:
- Zomato
- Swiggy
- Zoop
- Rail Yatri
- Rail Recipe
- Yatribhojan
- Yatrirestro
- Garg Rajdhani
- Homebytes
- OLF
- Relfood
- Gofoodieonline
- Rajbhog
- BrotherByte
- Happy Journey
- Swad Express
Passengers can also check the updated list of authorised partners on the official IRCTC e-Catering website and mobile application. Passengers travelling by train can keep these guidelines in mind when ordering food during their journey.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
FAQs
What is the full form of IRCTC?
The full form of IRCTC is Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation.
How much should 2 Samosa cost in IRCTC?
The standard IRCTC rate for 2 samosas (50 grams each, including tomato sauce or chutney) is ₹19 on standard mail/express trains.
Do Zomato or Swiggy deliver on train?
Yes, both Zomato and Swiggy deliver food to train passengers as authorized IRCTC e-catering partners.
