The Railway Ministry has announced a slew of measures, including a toll-free number for registering any grievance against the food served on trains, to improve the quality of catering service for passengers.

The newly launched toll-free number, 1800111321, is operational from 7 am to 10 pm seven days a week. Passengers can use the number register complaints relating to anything including overcharging, substandard quality or less quantity.

Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the new toll-free was launched to address concerns over soaring number of grievances against catering service in trains and stations.

The Railway Minister added that the complaints registered through the toll-free would be addressed on real-time basis. In case extra money had been charged from a passenger it would be returned. Speaking on the topic, he also admitted the quality of curd served by caterers in trains is not up-to-the-mark.

Mr. Bansal, however, assured, "We are finalising a policy to ensure that only curd prepared by reputed companies are served."

Equally, efforts are being made to improve the catering services in trains like Shatabdi, Duronto and Rajdhani.

To ensure hygienic condition at all important rail premises, the railway Ministry has decided to embark on a cleanliness drive covering around one hundred important stations across the country and equip maximum possible number of trains with bio-toilets.