‘Their license should be cancelled’: Vande Bharat food scare triggers ₹10 lakh penalty

A food safety scare aboard the Vande Bharat Express has triggered widespread concern after a passenger reported finding an insect inside their food on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai route of the express train.

The event took place on April 6 and came to light after businessman Aditya Didwania from Mumbai posted photos and videos on X demonstrating what looks like an insect in the food on the train. This news prompted reactions of many other passengers as well as railway officials.

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As reported by Didwania, such cases are not occasional. "At least two such cases in my coach… everyone stopped eating after that," Didwania posted.

Panic onboard, concerns over hygiene

According to reports, passengers stopped eating meals on board the train following the occurrence of the incident, as many complained of health concerns regarding the quality of meals served.

In his post, Didwania asked authorities to conduct a detailed inspection of the food processing system. Additionally, he wondered whether the supplier was abiding by the norms defined by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, and recommended that appropriate measures should be taken in case of any violation.

IRCTC issues response,imposes penalty

Following the complaint posted by Didwania, IRCTC issued an apology and informed him that necessary actions have been taken against the supplier.

“Inconvenience caused is deeply regretted. The matter has been viewed with utmost seriousness,” stated IRCTC in its reply posted on X.

The supplier has been fined Rs.10 lakh, and notices regarding contract termination have been issued. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the kitchen concerned has been sealed to clean the place of pests.

IRCTC assured Didwania that hygiene and passenger safety remained their first priority.

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Social media reactions

The incident generated an intense reaction on social media, with numerous users wondering about the measures put in place for food quality control on board.

Some of the users demanded that strict checks be done, while some noted that such incidents had made them refrain from eating food served in trains. “This is completely unacceptable, especially for a premium service,” one user commented.