Railways fines IRCTC Rs 10 lakh over bad food on Vande Bharat Express

Indian Railways fined IRCTC Rs 10 lakh and a service provider Rs 50 lakh, terminating its contract after a food complaint on a Vande Bharat train. Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also announced new reforms for cargo, construction, and passengers.

The Railways has tightened its grip on its own company, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), by imposing a fine of Rs 10 lakh following a passenger's complaint. A passenger's complaint regarding the quality of food found on train number 21896 (Patna-Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express) on March 15 has been taken seriously, and a penalty of Rs 10 lakh has been imposed on IRCTC. Along with this, a fine of Rs 50 lakh has been imposed on the concerned service provider, and the contract termination has been ordered.

Railways on Service Quality and Complaints

An Indian Railways spokesperson stated that passenger safety and quality are our top priorities. Meanwhile, ministry said that Indian Railways serves nearly 58 crore meals annually across its trains, with complaints averaging only about 0.0008%, which includes complaints related to overcharging. Following inquiries into these complaints, fines amounting to Rs 2.6 crore have been imposed over the past three years.

Action Taken Against Staff Misconduct

During the year 2025, 3 incidents of assault on railway passengers by Pantry Car staff have been reported. Legal action has been taken against the Pantry Car staff by the respective Government Railway Police.

New Reforms Announced for 2026

Also, Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Tuesday announced that in line with Indian Railways' resolve to undertake reforms during 2026, five new reforms have been approved. With the approval of these new reforms, the total number of reforms for the year 2026 has reached nine. Ashwini Vaishnaw said that under the ongoing "Reform Express" initiative, four reforms had already been announced and five new reforms were being introduced. Out of the five new reforms, two are related to cargo, one to construction, and two to passenger convenience.

Focus on Salt Transportation

Speaking on reform number five, which focuses on salt transportation, Vaishnaw said India is one of the largest producers and exporters of salt in the world. The three major producing states are Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Out of nearly 35 million tonnes of salt produced annually in India, about 9.2 million tonnes per annum are transported by railways, reflecting a significant untapped opportunity. (ANI)

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