IRCTC Fines Caterer ₹1 Lakh and Moves to Cancel Licence After Fly Found in Rajdhani Meal
IRCTC says the penalty will enforce hygiene standards by forcing immediate checks of contractor kitchens and food packaging across its train services.
Overview
- A passenger on the Ahmedabad–Mumbai Tejas Rajdhani Express reported finding a fly in his veg biryani, and train staff offered a replacement that he declined.
- IRCTC on Wednesday imposed a ₹1 lakh fine on Araha Hospitality Pvt Ltd and issued a show-cause notice that begins a process to terminate the contractor’s licence.
- Documents show the vendor supplied meals from a licensed Surat base kitchen that IRCTC inspected on June 15 and deep-cleaned on June 18 before the complaint.
- IRCTC has ordered the vendor to strengthen procurement of fresh raw materials, tighten storage checks for airtight containers, improve packaging, and step up quality-control checks.
- The move follows wider scrutiny of train catering, including a May 28 FSSAI notice over an earlier viral hygiene video, and comes as IRCTC manages roughly 16 lakh meals a day across Indian Railways.