Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Indian Railways Fines Vande Bharat Caterer Over Undercooked Paratha
A passenger traveling on a Vande Bharat train received a paratha that was not cooked properly.
The passenger complained about it online and tagged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Railway officials investigated the complaint.
They fined the train’s catering company Rs 2 lakh.
They also fined the agency checking food safety at the kitchen Rs 20,000.
The minister said Railways had collected Rs 5.13 crore in food-related fines over three years.
Railways serves about 58 crore meals each year.
It is using base kitchens and cameras to improve food safety and preparation.
A passenger complained about an undercooked paratha served on the Banaras-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express on August 16.
The complaint concerned Train No. 22435 and was posted on social media, tagging Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Indian Railways fined the catering licensee Rs 2 lakh after an inquiry.
The agency responsible for food safety checks at the base kitchen received an additional Rs 20,000 penalty.
Railways has imposed Rs 5.13 crore in fines over three years and is expanding food-quality monitoring measures.
- Who
- Indian Railways, the train’s catering licensee, the food-safety inspection agency, and a passenger who filed the complaint.
- What
- The catering licensee was fined Rs 2 lakh for serving an undercooked paratha, while the food-safety agency was fined Rs 20,000.
- When
- The incident took place on August 16; the article does not specify the year.
- Where
- On the Banaras-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express, Train No. 22435.
- Why
- An inquiry found problems connected to the quality of the food and negligence in food-safety checks.
- Caterer penalty
- Rs 2 lakh
- Food-safety agency penalty
- Rs 20,000
- Train
- Banaras-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express, Train No. 22435
- Reported incident
- August 16
- Three-year railway fines
- Rs 5.13 crore
- Average annual meals served
- About 58 crore
- Average complaint rate
- About 0.0008% of meals