Insects found in sambar served on Vande Bharat train, Railways slaps Rs 50,000 fine on catering firm

Vande Bharat train passengers found insects in sambar, sparking viral social media outrage. Railways imposed Rs 50,000 fine on catering company, Brindavan Food Products, and collected food samples for further testing amid concerns over food safety and hygiene.

Chennai: A complaint has been filed after insects were discovered in the sambar served on a Vande Bharat train, sparking a viral social media post that led to swift action by the railways. Following the incident, a fine of Rs 50,000 was imposed on the food catering service provider.

The incident occurred on the Vande Bharat train traveling from Tirunelveli to Chennai, where passengers found insects in the food. A video of the incident was shared widely, including by Manickam Tagore, MP, who criticized the hygiene standards aboard the Vande Bharat trains. The video was posted with a tag to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, drawing attention to food safety concerns even on premium trains like Vande Bharat.

“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?," he wrote in his post.

In response, the railway authorities launched an investigation. A health inspector at Dindigul station checked the food packet and confirmed that while insects were found, they were not in the sambar itself but on the lid of the aluminum container in which it was served. Following this, the railways imposed a preliminary fine of Rs 50,000 on Ms Brindavan Food Products, the catering company responsible for providing the food. The railways also announced that food samples had been collected for further testing, and additional actions would be taken based on the results of the report.

This is not the first such incident involving complaints about food quality on Vande Bharat trains. Earlier, another passenger had reported finding a cockroach in the food served on the high-speed train.