Unhygienic food in Indian trains has made headlines in the past. But, this time, the issue escalated, resulting in the ministry imposing penalties of Rs 10 lakh on IRCTC and Rs 50 lakh on the service provider, respectively. Scroll down to read the details.



The incident occurred on the Patna-Tatanagar Vande Bharat on March 15, where the food served reportedly had a worm in the curd cup. In the viral video, a passenger is seen confronting the staff after spotting live worms in his meal. The video was originally uploaded by the YouTube channel Travel Skippers. Holding up a cup of curd, the passenger asks, “Can you see something in there?” The attendant initially denies any issue, insisting the specks were “kesar” (saffron), which led to reactions from fellow passengers.



The attendant initially dismisses the complaint, claiming the visible particles were saffron. The attendant then clarified that the curd had been supplied in pre-packaged form. Upon inspection, it was found that the product had already expired. In no time the video went viral and this time the ministry had to intervene.








Responding to the incident, the ministry stated that the issue occurred on train number 21896 (Patna–Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express) on March 15. “The complaint regarding food quality raised by a passenger… has been taken seriously,” the statement said.



It further highlighted the penalties imposed. “Action taken – IRCTC has been penalised Rs 10 lakh, the service provider has been penalised Rs 50 lakh, and ordered to terminate the contract. Passenger safety and quality remain our top priority.” Take a look at the post.



What do you think of such carelessness? Share your thoughts in the comment section.