Indian Railway Slams Caterer with Rs 45k Fine for Cockroach in Vande Bharat Meal

A few days back a post on X went viral in which a passenger spotted a dead cockroach in his meal. Now the Indian Railways imposed a fine of Rs 45,000 on a catering company responsible for preparing and delivering meals on the Bhopal-Jabalpur Vande Bharata Express after a passenger found a cockroach in his food.

The catering company, Express Food Company, located in Itarsi, faced penalties from both the Jabalpur Rail Division amounting to Rs 25,000 and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) totaling Rs 20,000.

Last week, a passenger named Shubhendu Keshari discovered a cockroach in his meal while onboard the Vande Bharat, prompting him to express his concern on social media. Responding promptly to the passenger's complaint, the Railway Board took action against the responsible catering company, imposing a substantial fine of ₹45,000.

The penalties are aimed at holding the catering company accountable for hygiene lapses and serve as a warning for strict adherence to quality control measures in the future.