Dehradun railway station to become 1st Eat Right certified station of U’khand

PNS | DEHRADUN

The Dehradun railway station will soon be the first Eat Right station in Uttarakhand. The initiative to certify the station under the Eat Right programme began on Thursday in Dehradun to ensure food safety and hygiene standards at the station, the deputy commissioner of Uttarakhand Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) Ganesh Kandwal said. Under the Eat Right India campaign, a certification programme was organised at Dehradun railway station on Thursday by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). In the programme, 24 food handlers and food supervisors working at the station’s food service outlets were trained under the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme, Kandwal said.  The trainer provided detailed insights into advanced catering practices. The programme was aimed at equipping food handlers with essential knowledge on food safety standards, hygiene maintenance and proper food preparation methods to ensure safe consumption for passengers. Speaking at the event, Kandwal emphasised the critical role railway platforms play in public health, as they experience continuous passenger movement and high food consumption both on platforms and inside trains. He informed that the Eat Right Railway Station programme was launched by FSSAI in 2018 and follows a phased approach. In the first phase, all food handlers at railway stations undergo training on safe cooking and serving practices. The second phase involves a food audit of the station conducted by an FSSAI-authorised third party. In the third stage, the food services at the station are evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, with a 5-star rating being the highest. Finally, based on compliance and performance, the station is awarded the Eat Right certification, which remains valid for two years. The Dehradun Railway Station’s senior superintendent Ravindra Kumar stated that certification under this programme will significantly enhance food safety and hygiene standards at the station. He said that awareness will also increase among vendors and consumers that will encourage people to make healthier food choices. This initiative will lead to a better and safer food experience for travellers, reinforcing the commitment to providing quality services at railway stations, he added.