The Southern Railway issued a statement following a passenger’s complaint about finding an insect in the sambar served aboard the Vande Bharat Express train. The incident occurred on Saturday (November 16) when the passenger, traveling on train number 20666 from Tirunelveli to Chennai Egmore, discovered the insect in the sambar served with breakfast after the train departed from Madurai. The passenger promptly lodged a complaint.
In response, the Railways extended an apology to the passenger and assured strict action against the catering service provider. Officials, including the Onboard Manager, Chief Catering Inspector (CIR), Chief Commercial Inspector (CCI), and Assistant Commercial Manager (ACM), inspected the food supplied by the Tirunelveli base kitchen operated by Brindavan Food Products.
What the investigation reveal?
The investigation revealed that the insect was stuck to the lid of the casserole container, appearing uncooked, indicating possible contamination after food preparation. Officials offered an alternative meal to the passenger at Dindigul station, which was declined. The contaminated food packet was handed over to the Dindigul Health Inspector for quality checks.
Preliminary inspections of other food containers showed no irregularities. A detailed assessment of the pantry area where food packets were distributed found it clean and free from insect activity. A joint inspection by the Food Safety Officer, Health Inspector, and Chief Commercial Inspector at the base kitchen in Tirunelveli was conducted, and food samples were collected for testing.
“To further investigate the source of the contamination, a joint inspection was conducted by the Food Safety Officer, Health Inspector, and Chief Commercial Inspector from Tirunelveli at the base kitchen. Food samples were collected and sent for testing,” the statement mentioned.
Rs 50,000 penalty imposed for negligence
As a result, a penalty of Rs 50,000 was imposed on Brindavan Food Products for negligence, with additional actions under review. Southern Railways reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring high food quality standards for passengers. Regular inspections will be conducted to monitor food safety, and passengers are encouraged to register complaints via the Rail Madad system for prompt resolution.
