Cockroach found in Vande Bharat food package.
Credit: X/@iamdrkeshari
Complaints about the poor quality of food served on Indian trains raise legible concerns regarding substandard food and questionable hygiene standards in Indian Railways catering.
A case in this regard has come to light again, and this time from none other than Narendra Modi's marquee project 'Vande Bharat Express', prompting an immediate apology from the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
A passenger from Madhya Pradesh traveling on the Rewa Vande Bharat Express (20173) encountered a disturbing find: a dead cockroach in the meal served on February 1, 2024, during his journey from Rani Kamlapati to Jabalpur Junction.
The passenger, identified as Shubhendu Kesari (@iamdrkeshari), took to X (formerly Twitter), and posted images of the cockroach found in the non-vegetarian thali provided as part of his meal.
Describing the experience as "traumatic", he also shared a photo of the complaint form he filled out at Jabalpur station, outlining the incident and supplying relevant personal details.
The post gained attention, prompting an apology from the IRCTC via their official handle. Expressing regret over the incident, the IRCTC stated that they viewed the matter seriously and have imposed a significant penalty on the service provider responsible. Additionally, they mentioned enhancing monitoring at the source to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Responses to the post varied, with some users finding humor in the situation, considering such occurrences commonplace on Indian trains. One user commented on the cockroach's potential suffering, while others made light-hearted remarks about the situation. The post, which tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and other relevant railway handles, has garnered over 49,000 views thus far.