IRCTC Imposes ₹10 Lakh Penalty On Vendor After Insect Found In Vande Bharat Meal

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A passenger aboard the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express reported a disturbing issue with the meal. In a post on X, the passenger said he was travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai and was left shocked after discovering an insect in the food and videos shared on the microblogging site showed a dal-chawal meal box with what appeared to be a cockroach-like insect inside.

Vendor identified, passenger demands strict action

The passenger stated that the food supplier was M/S Brandavan Food Products, which is part of the RK Group. Tagging railway authorities on X, he called for strict action against the vendor.

He wrote, "Please raid" the vendor, adding, "I am certain the food is not being prepared as per FSSAI standards. When found guilty, their licence should be cancelled. Hope this doesn't get settled through bribes."

IRCTC imposes penalty, orders corrective steps

Responding to the complaint, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC said it has taken strong action against the service provider. According to IRCTC, "a hefty penalty of ₹10 lakh along with a termination notice of the contract is being issued to the service provider."

It also confirmed that“the kitchen has been sealed for deep cleaning and pest control.”

The agency added, "The inconvenience caused is deeply regretted. The matter has been viewed with utmost seriousness," while assuring that“hygiene and passenger safety remain our topmost priority.”

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The incident quickly went viral on X, with many users expressing concern over food quality on trains.

"I always carry my own food. If the travel duration is longer, I prefer ordering food from an application," one user wrote.

Another commented, "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."

A third user said, "I will always opt for the 'No food' option while booking a ticket and carry my own food."

One more added,“Please carry your food with you. Don't trust any vendor to supply clean and hygienic food. No one is trustworthy, and there is no quality control.”

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In a similar incident, the Railways terminated the contract of a vendor last month after a passenger found worms in packaged curd served to him on the Patna–Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express and imposed a fine of ₹50 lakh on the company.

The Railway Ministry also imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh on its own company, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), for not handling the matter properly.

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"Considering the gravity of the lapses, the competent authority decided to impose a fine of ₹10 lakh on IRCTC for such deficiency in services. Further, IRCTC was advised to ensure strict monitoring of onboard services so as to prevent any such incident in future," the Ministry had said in its order.

"All concerned IRCTC supervisors were directed to ensure that food quality, food safety and hygiene were their prime concerns," it added.

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