Indian Railways has imposed a total penalty of ₹60 lakh on the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation and its catering vendor after a serious food safety lapse onboard the Vande Bharat Express. The action follows a March 15, 2026 complaint from train number 21896 (Patna–Tatanagar route), where a passenger discovered worms in a packaged curd cup of Amul served during the journey.
Railways responded with strict measures, fining IRCTC ₹10 lakh and the onboard service provider ₹50 lakh, while also terminating the vendor’s contract with immediate effect. The incident, which went viral after a passenger shared video evidence, raised serious concerns around hygiene and quality standards in onboard catering, especially on premium trains.
Authorities reiterated a zero-tolerance stance on food safety lapses, emphasizing that passenger safety and service quality remain top priorities. The episode has triggered tighter monitoring and is expected to lead to stricter audits of catering operations across the railway network.
Source: Dairynew7x7 27th March, 2026 Read full story here
#FoodSafety #DairyQuality #Amul #IRCTC #IndianRailways #SupplyChain #DairyIndustry