On November 28, 2025, the Delhi High Court made an important decision about catering contracts with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC). Here's a breakdown of what happened and what it means for the caterers involved.
Several catering companies, including Om Sai Ram Catering, M/S A.J.S. Caterers, and others, had their contracts with IRCTC canceled. The reason? Delays in setting up main kitchens as per the contract requirements.
The caterers were supposed to set up main kitchens at specific locations to provide food services on trains. However, IRCTC claimed these kitchens weren't ready on time, leading to the cancellation of contracts through official letters.
The caterers filed requests to challenge the cancellation. They argued that they weren't given enough time to fix the issues with their setups. During the hearings, they promised to complete the required kitchens.
The court, led by Justice Mini Pushkarna, decided to give the caterers another chance. IRCTC agreed to extend the deadline for completing the kitchens to December 31, 2025, for companies like M/S A.J.S. Caterers and M/S K.S.I. Associate.
M/S A.J.S. Caterers raised a specific issue about setting up a kitchen at Chopan Railway Station in Jharkhand. They argued it wasn't possible due to train timings. The court allowed them to submit a request to IRCTC, which will be considered.
As part of the court's decision, each company must contribute Rs. 50,000 to the Delhi High Court Canteen fund. This is to be done within two weeks.
The court decided to give the catering companies more time to set up their kitchens, extending the deadline to December 31, 2025. This allows the caterers to meet their obligations and continue providing services to train passengers.
