Insect Found in Vande Bharat Train Food, IRCTC Fines Vendor ₹10 Lakh Fine After Passenger’s Dal Chawal Complaint

Viral: Ever opened a meal expecting comfort, but found something that ruins your appetite instantly? That’s exactly what unfolded for passengers travelling from a premium flagship train Vande Bharat.   

Passenger Found Insect in Food Served in Vande Bharat 

A routine train journey from Ahmedabad to Mumbai took a disturbing turn when passenger Aditya Didwania discovered an insect in his dal-chawal meal served onboard the Vande Bharat Express. Taking to social platform X, he shared images and videos of the contaminated food, writing: 

“Found an insect in Vande Bharat train food (Ahmedabad → Mumbai). Atleast 2 such cases in my coach, everyone stopped eating after that.”

He identified the vendor as M/S Brandavan Food Products (part of RK Group). Tagging Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, FSSAI, Railways, and IRCTC, he wrote:

“Just one request to the authorities, please raid them. I am certain the food is not being prepared as per FSSAI standards. When found guilty, their license should be cancelled. Hope this doesn’t get settled through bribes.”

Along with the pictures and videos of the food he was served, he also posted a photo of the vendor’s ID card. 

IRCTC Slaps ₹10 Lakh Fine on Vendor, Contract Termination

Acknowledging the seriousness of the complaint, The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) responded on the same post on X saying: 

‘Inconvenience caused  is deeply regretted. The matter has been viewed with utmost seriousness and a hefty penalty of Rs 10 lakh along with termination notice of the contract is being issued to the Service Provider. The kitchen is sealed for deep cleaning and pest control. Hygiene and passenger safety remains our top most priority’

‘Not an Isolated Case Anymore’: Citizens Didn’t Hold Back 

The incident went viral, with users sharing frustration, anger, and a sense of deja vu.

One user pointed out a worrying pattern, “This isn’t an isolated case anymore. Multiple recent incidents. Same negligence. At what point does this become a serious public health concern? Passengers deserve better than repeated apologies.”

Another questioned the basic quality checks, “Strange packers packing didn't see it. Or its a don't care attitude. Not one but 3 others. The Caterer must be fined & ban imposed. Quality control. IRCTC must send Inspectors who must check from raw material (has to be good quality) Not expired, hygiene, other factors.”

Some expressed skepticism about any real change, “They cannot blacklist this vendor, they are everywhere in IRCTC. Your demand of audit is justifiable and will never be done. They know what is the condition already!”

A more scathing take targeted the food safety system itself, “The funny thing is fssai has no standards. They just gobble up the bribe and toss the licence to anyone for anything. No sending health inspectors to do the checking nor surprise hygiene visitation. Everything is Fake and Magic. Not to serve the best but to make Money and money is the top priority not hygiene, cleanliness, ethics etc.”

Others questioned the vendor’s continued presence, “Why is RK group not kicked out even after muliple escalations?”

One user linked the issue to market dominance, “This happens when there exists a monpoly. 60% of railway catering is being handled by them?”

And for some, trust seems completely broken, “I will always opt for ‘No food’ option now while booking ticket and carry my own food.”

Another summed up a long-standing concern, “Train catering is age old problem, worst kind of food provided but launched new trains with higher fare rather than fixing existing issues.”

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