IRCTC slaps Rs 10 lakh fine on vendor for serving contaminated food on Vande Bharat train

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Vande Bharat Express, known for its premium amenities, has once again found itself embroiled in controversy. This time, the issue concerns the quality of the food served on board, with a passenger making a serious allegation of finding worms in the food.

A user named @adityadidwania shared a post on the social media platform X, claiming that a worm was found in the food on the Vande Bharat train traveling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai. He wrote that such incidents occurred at least twice in his coach, prompting passengers to stop eating. The passenger alleged that the food supplier, Brandavan Food Products, was not adhering to quality standards and demanded strict action.

IRCTC takes strict action

As soon as the matter came to light, IRCTC immediately took cognizance and took strict action against the concerned service provider. IRCTC responded on social media, saying that this incident has been taken very seriously. A hefty fine of Rs 10 lakh has been imposed on the service provider and a notice of termination of the contract has been issued. Additionally, the kitchen concerned has been sealed and instructions have been given for thorough cleaning and pest control.

Following the incident, the post quickly went viral, with users questioning the railway's functioning. Many expressed concern about the quality of train food. One user wrote, "It's better to avoid train food than to eat it," while another said that if this is the condition of a premium train like Vande Bharat, the food situation on other trains could be even worse.

This incident once again raises questions about food safety and hygiene standards on the railways. Maintaining passenger safety and trust now poses a significant challenge for the railways and related agencies.