Vande Bharat Passenger Finds Insect In Train Meal, Railways Responds

A passenger aboard Vande Bharat Express, a flagship train of Indian Railways, shared a disturbing issue with the onboard meal. In a post on X, the passenger posted a picture showing a black insect floating in the 'daal' served in an aluminium container. The image quickly went viral, igniting widespread criticism of the food quality and hygiene standards on what is considered one of India's premium train services.  As per the tweet, the incident happened on July 22 aboard the New Delhi Vande Bharat Express. 

"Insect found in food during journey in Vande Bharat train dated 22 July 2025: Train no 22440 c3 53 seat No," the post on X read. 

See the post here:

Insect found in food during journey in vande Bharat train dated 22 july 2025 : Train no 22440 c3 53 seat No pic.twitter.com/8ByCVPA67R

— Hardik panchal (@HARDIK1008) July 22, 2025

In response, the official RailwaySeva account issued an apology.

"We regret the inconvenience! Please share the details, PNR and mobile no. You may also raise your concern directly on https://railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in for speedy redressal," their reply read.

We regret inconvenience! Please share details PNR and mobile no. You may also raise your concern directly on https://t.co/AmJ5X4ydf8 for speedy redressal.

— RailwaySeva (@RailwaySeva) July 22, 2025

The viral post prompted renewed calls for accountability and reform in Indian Railways' catering services. Many demanded stricter oversight of food vendors, regular hygiene audits, and better training for staff to ensure compliance with safety standards. 

This is not an isolated incident for the Vande Bharat Express, which has been positioned as a medium-distance superfast express service with cutting-edge amenities. In a similar case last year, another passenger reported finding insects in sambhar, with visuals shared on social media drawing significant attention. These recurring complaints have raised serious questions about the consistency of food quality and hygiene on trains that are meant to reflect world-class standards.

The Vande Bharat Express, launched as part of the “Make in India” initiative, is designed to offer passengers a modern travel experience with features like faster travel times, enhanced safety protocols, and superior onboard services. According to the Ministry of Railways, these trains are intended to set a new benchmark for rail travel in India.