- Indian Railways fined IRCTC Rs 10 lakh and a caterer Rs 50 lakh for poor food quality
- A passenger found insects in Amul dahi served on Patna-Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express
- The caterer's contract was terminated following the viral video complaint
Indian Railways has taken strict action against the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and a private caterer by imposing hefty fines over poor food quality on trains. The matter came to light after a passenger shared a video showing insect-infested food. The passenger claimed that he was travelling from Patna to Tatanagar on the Vande Bharat Express when he discovered insects in an Amul dahi cup served onboard.
The video quickly went viral, raising serious concerns about food safety on one of India's premium trains. Acting swiftly, Indian Railways terminated the contract of the caterer responsible for supplying the food. The caterer was also fined Rs 50 lakh, while IRCTC was imposed a penalty of Rs 10 lakh.
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In the video shared on X, the passenger was seen holding up a cup of Amul dahi with live insects moving inside it. He also showed another cup belonging to a fellow traveller that appeared to have the same issue. He claimed that he had already eaten half of his serving before noticing anything unusual. The passenger alleged that he tried reporting the matter to the train staff and requested the manager to take action; however, no one came forward to address his complaint.
The Ministry of Railways responded, stating that strict action had been taken against the caterer and IRCTC. "The complaint regarding food quality raised by a passenger on train number 21896 (Patna-Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express) on March 15, 2026, has been taken seriously. Action taken: IRCTC has been penalised Rs 10 lakh, and the service provider has been penalised Rs 50 lakh and ordered to terminate the contract. Passenger safety and service quality remain our top priority," the post read.
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According to ANI, an Indian Railways spokesperson said that passenger safety and service quality remain top priorities. The official also emphasised that strict rules are in place to maintain high standards, particularly on premium trains such as the Vande Bharat Express.
