This 2017 incident on Charminar Express remains a stark reminder of hygiene lapses in Indian railway catering that continue to raise passenger safety concerns.
Key Takeaway
An unauthorised vendor was caught filling tea cans from a train toilet on the Charminar Express in December 2017. While officials claimed it was leftover beverage transfer, the incident sparked outrage and raised serious questions about Indian Railways’ catering hygiene standards and passenger safety protocols.
The Toilet And Tea Combination
Are you someone who enjoys having a cup of tea while travelling on the train? While on the train, do you enjoy reading a book, while sipping a cup of tea, is chai-pakoda your go-to snack?
Well, all that is about to change when you find out where is the water for the oh-so-delicious tea procured from?
In a video shot by a passenger on a train, few vendors were seen filling tea and coffee cans from inside a train toilet. The incident took place in December 2017 in the Charminar Express, at Secunderabad(Telangana) station.
The video shows that the toilet door is seen closed from inside, after a while the vendors come out of the train toilet with the cans, suggesting that the water was mixed in the cans inside the toilet. A man in a blue shirt can be seen waiting outside the western toilets to collect the water-filled tea cans and to hand it over to the vendors.
The man who is waiting outside the toilet is also very cautious while filling the tea cans with toilet water so that no one can expose their act.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aHAuxMMV8w&feature=youtu.be
Enquiry Regarding The Situation
The vendors in question, who were unauthorised hawkers, were apparently engaged by platform catering stalls. One of the vendors, employed by contractor P. Sivaprasad, following an inquiry by Railways authorities, revealed that they were only transferring the leftover beverage in the toilet to sell it in their respective platform stalls. Claiming that there was no mixing of toilet water in the cans, he further said that they did so in the toilet to avoid public gaze.
A fine of Rs. 1 lakh has been imposed on the vending contractor by the Indian Railways and an inquiry regarding the same was held to identify the wrongdoers and initiate appropriate action.
Meanwhile, the Commercial Department of the South Central Railways termed it a ‘wrong practice’ while advising the IRCTC to levy a penalty against the Train Side Vending Licensee Sivaprasad. A statement given by them said, “However, the very fact that the Tea/Coffee cans were seen brought out of the toilet, is in itself a wrong practice. Therefore, IRCTC is advised to levy a penalty of Rs. 1, 00, 000/- against the Train Side Vending Licensee, Shri P. Sivaprasad, as this contract is now with IRCTC.”
Annoyed passengers and people lashed out at the authorities for not having mechanisms to strictly monitor such cheap tricks done by tea vendors in trains. The video was shared widely on social media with a tagline ‘Never Drink Tea, Coffee and Soups in Trains, Tea Sellers are Using Toilet Water’.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on the Charminar Express toilet incident?
In December 2017, vendors were caught filling tea and coffee cans from inside a train toilet on the Charminar Express at Secunderabad station. A passenger video showed them emerging from the toilet with filled cans, raising serious hygiene concerns among Indian Railway passengers.
Who were the vendors involved in the Charminar Express incident?
The vendors were unauthorised hawkers employed by contractor P. Sivaprasad and engaged by platform catering stalls. Following Railways inquiry, they claimed they were only transferring leftover beverages, not mixing toilet water with tea cans.
Did Indian Railways take action after the Charminar Express toilet tea incident?
Railways authorities conducted inquiries into the incident. The vendors were questioned, and the contractor’s involvement was examined. However, the outcome and specific punitive measures taken against the catering contractor remain unclear from official statements.
How can Indian train passengers ensure safe tea on railways?
Passengers should purchase beverages from IRCTC-authorised stalls only, avoid unauthorised vendors, and inspect the seal on packaged items. Carrying your own water bottle and purchasing bottled water from official sources is the safest option during train journeys.
What hygiene standards should Indian Railways maintain for catering?
Indian Railways should enforce strict hygiene protocols including regular inspections of water sources, vendor licensing, sealed containers for beverages, staff training, and passenger complaint mechanisms. The Charminar Express incident highlighted gaps in monitoring unauthorised catering vendors.
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