A passenger traveling on the New Delhi Vande Bharat Express on July 22 raised serious concerns about onboard catering after spotting a black insect in the ‘daal’ served during the journey. Sharing a photo on X, the user revealed the contaminated food item was provided in an aluminium container, igniting widespread backlash over hygiene and food safety standards on one of Indian Railways’ most premium services.
The post, which has since gone viral, stated: “Insect found in food during journey in Vande Bharat train dated 22 July 2025: Train no 22440 c3 53 seat No.”
Read | Revolutionising Indian Railways: 400 Vande Bharat trains, enhanced features and Kavach safety tech
Following the outrage, Indian Railways’ official grievance handle, RailwaySeva, responded with an apology and urged the passenger to file a formal complaint. “We regret the inconvenience! Please share the details, PNR and mobile no. You may also raise your concern directly on https://railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in for speedy redressal,” their reply read.
The incident has reignited public criticism of catering standards on Vande Bharat Express, with many social media users demanding tighter scrutiny of food suppliers, mandatory hygiene inspections, and improved staff training to uphold safety norms.
This isn’t the first time food safety has come under scrutiny on the Vande Bharat. In a similar episode last year, another traveler reported finding insects in their sambhar, drawing sharp reactions online. Repeated complaints of this nature have cast a shadow on the train’s reputation, which has been promoted as a symbol of modern, high-speed rail travel in India.