‘Found an Insect in Vande Bharat Train Food’: IRCTC Slaps INR 10 Lakh Fine on Vande Bharat Caterer After Passenger Finds Insect in Meal (See Pics and Video)
IRCTC fined a Vande Bharat catering vendor INR 10 lakh and issued a termination notice after a passenger found an insect in his meal. The incident which took place on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Vande Bhart express train went viral, leading to the sealing of the vendor's kitchen for deep cleaning. IRCTC said that hygiene and passenger safety remains their top most priority.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has taken swift punitive action against an onboard catering contractor following a hygiene breach on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express train. A passenger travelling on the train took to X (formerly Twitter) on April 6 and said that he discovered an insect in his served meal, leading to a viral social media report and a subsequent INR 10 lakh penalty for the service provider.
In addition to the fine, IRCTC has issued a contract termination notice and ordered the immediate sealing of the vendor's kitchen facility for deep cleaning. Vande Bharat Express Food Scare? Woman Claims Severe Allergy, Child Falls Ill After Train Meal (See Pics).
Vande Bharat Passenger Finds Insect in Meal
Discovery of Contaminated Meals Onboard Vande Bharat Train
The incident came to light when a Mumbai-bound passenger shared images and videos on X showing an insect inside a "dal-chawal" meal box. According to the traveller, the discovery was not isolated, claiming that at least two similar cases occurred within the same coach. "Found an insect in Vande Bharat train food (Ahmedabad-Mumbai). Atleast 2 such cases in my coach, everyone stopped eating after that," the passenger identified as Aditya Didwania said.
The visual evidence prompted a collective refusal of meals by other passengers in the section. The traveller identified the vendor as M/S Brandavan Food Products, a subsidiary of the RK Group) and urged authorities to conduct a formal raid to ensure compliance with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations.
IRCTC Saps INR 10 Lakh Fine on Vendor
IRCTC's Disciplinary Response
Responding to the escalating public concern, IRCTC officials characterised the matter as a "serious lapse" in passenger safety and hygiene protocols. Beyond the financial penalty, the catering body confirmed that a termination notice has been served to the contractor, signalling a potential permanent ban on their services for this route. "The matter has been viewed with utmost seriousness and a hefty penalty of INR 10 lakh along with termination notice of the contract is being issued to the Service Provider," IRCTC said. The post further added that the kitchen has been sealed for deep cleaning and pest control. "Hygiene and passenger safety remains our top most priority," IRCTC added. IRCTC Fined INR 10 Lakh Over Poor Food Quality on Vande Bharat Express After Passenger Complaint.
Ongoing Concerns Over Onboard Catering
The Vande Bharat Express is marketed as India’s premier semi-high-speed train service, with premium catering often cited as a key feature. However, this latest report adds to a series of recent complaints regarding food quality on high-profile routes. Passenger advocacy groups have frequently called for stricter oversight of private vendors. In this instance, the complainant expressed hope that the investigation would lead to a genuine license cancellation rather than a temporary suspension, highlighting a lack of public trust in current food preparation standards.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 07, 2026 05:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).