Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad division of Western Railway has intensified its crackdown on food safety violations under its ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy, imposing fines totalling Rs 34.5 lakh on food service providers following surprise inspections at 15 base kitchens and catering establishments. One kitchen was also shut down on the spot for serious violations.Food prepared at these kitchens and facilities is generally supplied on trains. Railway officials said a penalty of Rs 10 lakh was imposed on a base kitchen at Vora Ka Roza in Saraspur after inspectors found expired food products, absence of an approved vendor list, inadequate ventilation and poor hygiene.Three base kitchens in Ahmedabad were each fined Rs 5 lakh. The Dabba Bazaar kitchen in Saraspur was found operating in extremely unhygienic conditions, with stale vegetables, unsealed spices, a defective freezer, inadequate records and violations related to uniforms and safety equipment. The unit was subsequently shut down.The kitchen in Dharmanagar in Sabarmati was fined Rs 5 lakh for storing spoiled potatoes and having a defective fly catcher, lack of washing liquid and damaged drainage grilles. Another Saraspur kitchen attracted a Rs 5 lakh penalty for not being operational even though food was being supplied from another location.The Vishnu Estate kitchen near Gujarat University was also fined Rs 5 lakh after inspectors found spoiled potatoes, flies, poor hygiene, unsealed spices and failure to maintain cooking-temperature records.Two closed kitchens in Gandhidham were fined Rs 1 lakh each, while the Mehsana and Palanpur kitchens were also fined Rs 1 lakh each. The Viramgam refreshment room attracted a Rs 50,000 fine for poor hygiene, cockroach and fly infestation, unauthorised vendors and other violations.
