India train food 'not fit for human consumption' Published duration 21 July 2017

image caption Passengers have often complained about the railways' catering service

Food served on board Indian trains and at railway stations is unfit for human consumption, an official report says.

The annual audit report said checks on 80 trains and at 74 stations had found that some food was contaminated, while packaged and bottled items were past their expiry date.

Food was stored in the open, attracting flies, rats and cockroaches, it added.

India has one of the largest railway networks in the world, used by around 23 million passengers daily.

Built mostly under British colonial rule, the railway network is the backbone of public transport.

But its catering services have often come under criticism from passengers and Indian Railways announced a new catering policy in February.

The report by India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said that cleanliness and hygiene were not being maintained at catering units at stations and in trains.

image copyright Getty Images image caption The railways announced a new catering policy to improve quality

The audit found:

Unpurified water used for beverages

Waste bins uncovered, not emptied regularly and not washed

Food stuffs unprotected from flies, insects and dust

Rats and cockroaches found in trains

The report blames frequent policy changes and the failure of Indian Railways to provide kitchens, static catering units, and automatic vending machines.