The Calcutta High Court has refused to provide any relief to the catering firm whose contract was revoked after some passengers of the New Delhi-Sealdah Rajdhani Express accused the firm of serving stale food.
On Friday, the catering firm approached the High Court against the termination of its contract by the Railways. “Justice Debangshu Basak refused to grant any interim relief to the catering firm R K Associates and Hoteliers Pvt Ltd,” Railway’s counsel Ashok Chakraborty told The Hindu. He also said that during the hearing it was conveyed to the Court that IRCTC has already taken over the duty of serving food to the passengers.
The court also directed the catering firm to file an affidavit and asked the Railways to file a counter affidavit.
Six passengers of the New Delhi-Sealdah Rajdhani Express alleged that they fell ill after eating food served on the train on March 27. The incident sparked protest by the passengers on the following day at the Asansol station in Bardhaman district. Supporting the cause, Union Minister Babul Supriyo said he had similar experience with “poor quality” of food while travelling on the Rajdhani Express.
Mr. Supriyo, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Asansol, had said that he would take up the matter with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. “It is a fact that the quality of food on the Rajdhani Express is very poor sometimes. I thank the passengers for their protest. Their agitation has made my case stronger,” he added.
