1 hr ago
Railway Water and Food Quality Face Scrutiny in Bhopal
Some railway passengers in Bhopal have raised concerns about the water and food sold at stations.
A test reportedly found one sample of Rail Neer water below the required standard.
A sample of loose gram flour also reportedly did not meet quality rules.
Officials collected more bottles from the same batch to check whether there was a wider problem.
Another inspection in Itarsi found expired or poor-quality food materials.
One kitchen was sealed, and some materials were destroyed.
Railway officials say they regularly test food and water.
Passengers say inspections must happen often so unsafe or stale products do not reach customers.
A July quality check reportedly found a Rail Neer sample below prescribed standards.
A sample of loose gram flour used in food preparation also reportedly failed quality parameters.
About 5,000 Rail Neer bottles are supplied daily from Mandideep to Bhopal division stations.
Surprise inspections at Itarsi base kitchens found expired and poor-quality materials, leading to seizures and one kitchen being sealed.
Railway officials sent additional bottles from the concerned batch for testing and said food checks remain regular.
- Who
- Railway passengers, railway officials, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, and food-safety and enforcement teams.
- What
- Railway-supplied water and station food came under scrutiny after quality concerns were reported.
- Where
- The concerns involved the Bhopal Railway Division and base kitchens in Itarsi.
- When
- The water sample was collected in July; inspections at Itarsi base kitchens took place on July 19, 2026.
- Why
- A Rail Neer sample and loose gram flour sample reportedly failed quality parameters, while inspections found poor-quality food materials.
Passenger Concerns
Railway Response
Quality of products sold
Passenger Concerns
Passengers said the water and food they bought were not good and warned that poor-quality products put passenger health at risk.
Railway Response
Railway officials said Rail Neer and food are regularly tested and that additional bottles from the concerned batch were sent for examination.
Frequency of inspections
Passenger Concerns
Passengers called for constant or regular monitoring of vendors to prevent stale food and poor-quality products from being sold.
Railway Response
Officials cited routine checks, including 765 food samples collected last year and 287 collected so far this year.
Scope of the water problem
Passenger Concerns
The reported failed sample raised concern among passengers about the reliability of water sold across the division.
Railway Response
Officials described the finding as involving some bottles from one batch and said samples from Mandideep, Maneri, and Ballarshah were sent to Jabalpur for confirmation.
Key facts
- Daily division passengers
- About 1.14 lakh passenger journeys in 2025-26.
- Bhopal Junction traffic
- More than 150 trains halt there daily, with around 70,000 passengers visiting each day.
- Rail Neer supply
- Around 5,000 one-litre bottles are supplied daily from Mandideep.
- Rail Neer price
- Rs 14 for a one-litre bottle.
- Food inspections
- Railway officials collected 765 food samples last year and 287 so far this year; officials said none had failed.
- Itarsi enforcement
- Expired and poor-quality materials were seized and destroyed, and one base kitchen was sealed.
Quotes
Dinesh Chandra Pandey
A railway passenger who called for regular monitoring
“We regularly check Rail Neer. During one check, some bottles from a batch were found to be below standard. We got samples from the same batch from Mandideep, Maneri and Ballarshah. To ensure that the testing is correct, the samples were sent to Jabalpur.”
NDTV
“The effort should be to provide passengers with good food and water and ensure cleanliness. Checks should be conducted regularly so that vendors remain alert and stale food is not sold.”
NDTV
Sources
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