A Mumbai-based entrepreneur travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai on April 6 reported finding an insect in the food served on board. Image for representation purpose only: Wikimedia commons
Insect in Vande Bharat onboard meal triggers hygiene concerns
Passenger shares images of contaminated meal on Ahmedabad–Mumbai Vande Bharat; IRCTC imposes Rs 10 lakh penalty
A recent incident aboard a Vande Bharat train has raised concerns among passengers over food safety and hygiene standards.
A Mumbai-based entrepreneur travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai on April 6 reported finding an insect in the food served on board. Sharing his experience on social media platform X, Aditya Didwania posted pictures and videos of the contaminated meal, claiming that at least two other similar cases were reported from the same coach.
Food safety concerns
The incident triggered panic among passengers, many of whom reportedly stopped eating, Didwania said. He also shared details of the vendor and urged authorities to take strict action against the food provider. “Please raid them. I am certain the food is not being prepared as per FSSAI standards. When found guilty, their licence should be cancelled,” he wrote.
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Following the post, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the authorised provider of catering and ticketing services for Indian Railways, responded and issued an apology.
Taking swift action, IRCTC imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on the vendor and terminated the service provider’s contract. “The kitchen is sealed for deep cleaning and pest control. Hygiene and passenger safety remain our topmost priority,” it said.
According to FSSAI norms, all catering units must hold a valid licence and comply with ISO 22000 standards. Base kitchens are subject to hygiene audits and are monitored through CCTV to ensure real-time adherence to food safety guidelines.
Onboard catering
Reacting to the incident, another traveller, Pronodip Chatterjee, who travelled on the Howrah-Ranchi Shatabdi Express on April 4, alleged discrepancies between the food served and the items listed on the menu.
He also claimed that vendors charged extra for tea and coffee, forcing passengers to make additional purchases onboard.
Also read: Railways fines vendor Rs 50 lakh, IRCTC Rs 10 lakh after worms found in Vande Bharat meal
In March, the Indian Railways had terminated the contract of a vendor and imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh after a passenger found worms in a packaged curd served to him on the Patna-Tatanagar Vande Bharat. Railways also slapped a fine of Rs 10 lakh on IRCTC for not handling the matter properly.