Insect Discovered in Sambar on Vande Bharat Express, Railways Imposes Rs 50,000 Fine on Caterer
Insect Discovered in Sambar on Vande Bharat Express, Railways Imposes Rs 50,000 Fine on Caterer
A traveler on the Vande Bharat Express, journeying from Tirunelveli Junction to Chennai Egmore, was taken aback to discover insects in the sambar provided on the train. He not only lodged a complaint with the IRCTC but also posted images of the contaminated food, which drew the attention of Congress MP Manickam Tagore. He expressed his concerns regarding “food safety” on “premium trains.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tagore addressed Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, stating, “Live insects were found in the food served on the Tirunelveli-Chennai Vande Bharat Express.” He also inquired about the measures being taken to ensure food safety on these premium trains.
See the post
After the post went viral on social media, the official X account of Southern Railways provided clarification about the contaminated food issue. They announced that the Railways collected food samples for testing to determine the source of the contamination and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the catering service involved.
The Railways stated, “For this negligence, a penalty of Rs 50,000 has been imposed on the contractor MS Brindavan Food Products, and further action is being pursued.” They also mentioned that a thorough investigation is underway, exploring all potential sources of contamination.
Additionally, the Railways emphasized their commitment to maintaining food quality for passengers, noting that regular inspections are conducted to uphold food standards. They assured that passenger complaints are addressed promptly through the Rail Madad system, ensuring timely resolutions and follow-ups.
According to a report an investigation team, including the Onboard Manager, Chief Catering Inspector, Chief Commercial Inspector, and Assistant Commercial Manager, looked into the incident and traced the contaminated food back to the Tirunelveli base kitchen run by Brindavan Food Products.
Officials noted that the insect was found stuck to the lid of the casserole, suggesting that the contamination occurred after the food was prepared. Additionally, further inspections showed that the pantry area where the food was served was clean and free of insects.
