Mumbai Central’s Popular Jan Aahar Outlet Shut Down After Hygiene Check Reveals Food Safety Lapses
Rephrased Article:
Mumbai: Railway passengers relying on affordable meals at Mumbai Central station will have to look for alternatives after the IRCTC shut down the Jan Aahar outlet following an inspection that revealed serious hygiene issues, poor food handling practices, and concerns over food quality.
The action was taken after officials found multiple violations at the budget-friendly food outlet, which was meant to provide passengers with clean, affordable, and reliable meals. Following the inspection on August 3, the IRCTC Mumbai office also issued a strict advisory to all Jan Aahar outlets and food stalls under its supervision, asking them to maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
According to railway officials, the inspection found several problems inside the outlet, including dirty dining areas, unclean tables, used plates left unattended, and food quality that did not meet the required standards.
Officials also raised concerns after finding cooked food kept uncovered in the kitchen for several hours. Dirty utensils were reportedly lying around, while some food items were prepared using poor hygiene practices. The inspection team noticed that puris were being fried repeatedly in the same oil, and kitchen workers were not following basic safety measures such as wearing gloves and caps while handling food.
The condition of the kitchen was also found to be unsatisfactory. Officials reported that the gas stove was heavily dirty, the kitchen floor lacked proper cleanliness, and chopped ingredients such as coriander, green chillies, and ginger were kept uncovered in the open, increasing the risk of contamination.
Following these findings, IRCTC closed the outlet and imposed a penalty of around ₹1 lakh on the operator.
An IRCTC official said that strict instructions have been issued to all food stalls and catering outlets to follow proper housekeeping, hygiene, and food safety rules to ensure passengers receive better-quality food.
IRCTC currently operates six Jan Aahar centres across the Mumbai region, including outlets at Mumbai Central and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). These centres were introduced by Indian Railways to provide passengers with hygienic and affordable meals during their journeys.
The latest action highlights the railway authorities’ focus on improving food safety standards at stations, where thousands of passengers depend on catering services every day.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
