Overview
- On Monday, a passenger on the Ahmedabad–Mumbai Vande Bharat shared photos and video of an insect in a dal-chawal meal, and the post spread widely on social media.
- IRCTC said it fined the service provider ₹10 lakh, issued a termination notice, and sealed the linked kitchen for deep cleaning and pest control.
- The traveler identified the vendor as M/S Brandavan Food Products, part of the RK Group, and said at least two such cases occurred in his coach, prompting people to stop eating.
- The incident follows last month’s case of worms found in packaged curd on another Vande Bharat, after which Railways ended a vendor’s contract, fined the company ₹50 lakh, and the Ministry fined IRCTC ₹10 lakh for lapses.
- A separate passenger recently reported a severe allergic reaction after an onboard meal on a Vande Bharat route, adding to calls for stricter checks, routine audits, and clearer accountability on food safety.