A passenger traveling on the Vande Bharat train from Tirunelveli to Chennai had an unpleasant experience when he discovered insects crawling in the sambhar served during his journey. The passenger shared a video on social media showing black bugs floating in the curry, which quickly went viral and sparked outrage over the food quality on India’s premier express train.
The video was also shared by Congress MP Manickam Tagore, who questioned the hygiene standards on the Vande Bharat trains. He wrote, “Dear Ashwini Vaishnaw ji, live insects were found in the food served on the Tirunelveli-Chennai Vande Bharat Express. Passengers have raised concerns over hygiene and IRCTC’s accountability. What steps are being taken to address this and ensure food safety on premium trains?”
Watch:
Dear @AshwiniVaishnaw ji ,live insects 🦟 were found in the food served on the Tirunelveli-Chennai #VandeBharatExpress
Passengers have raised concerns over hygiene and IRCTC’s accountability.
What steps are being taken to address this and ensure food safety on premium trains? pic.twitter.com/auR2bqtmip— Manickam Tagore .B🇮🇳மாணிக்கம் தாகூர்.ப (@manickamtagore) November 16, 2024
This incident is not the first food safety issue faced by Vande Bharat trains. Earlier, another passenger had reported finding a cockroach in their meal, leading to widespread disgust among social media users. One user commented, “Why are catering services third class on many express trains and platforms? Food prepared and served is completely unhygienic. People have no choice but to adjust.” Another user added, “Anyone who travels by railways knows not to eat the food sold by Railways. This is disgusting.”
In response to the outrage, the Southern Railway issued a clarification, stating that an immediate investigation was conducted. Upon inspecting the food sample, they determined that the insect had been stuck to the lid of the aluminum container and not inside the sambhar itself. The railway authorities imposed a Rs. 50,000 fine on the catering service provider, Ms. Brindavan Food Products, for negligence. “Food samples were collected and sent for testing to ascertain the cause of the contamination. For this negligence, a penalty of Rs. 50,000 has been imposed on the contractor, and further action is being pursued,” the statement read.