Insect in daal on Vande Bharat raises food safety concerns
On July 22, 2025, a passenger on the New Delhi Vande Bharat Express discovered a black insect in their daal.
A photo of the meal quickly spread on social media, putting Indian Railways's food safety back in the spotlight.
The Railways apologized and asked for the passenger's details to resolve things, but the incident has many questioning how safe train meals really are.
Similar incident last year
This isn't the first time Vande Bharat's catering has made headlines.
Last November, insects were found in sambar onboard and that caterer was fined ₹50,000.
How well are these kitchens managed?
Vande Bharat is marketed as a premium experience—but ongoing lapses show keeping meals clean is still a challenge.
With most catering outsourced to vendors, there are growing concerns about how well these kitchens are actually checked and managed.