Man's past-present photos of food served on Vande Bharat Express are viral, IRCTC responds

The photos of the difference of food served on Vande Bharat Express. (Image: @Railfann9971/Twitter)

A recent incident involving a dissatisfied passenger aboard the Vande Bharat Express has highlighted the need for improved services and quality control on Indian trains. Himanshu Mukerjee, a Twitter user and a self-proclaimed rail enthusiast, took to Twitter to express his disappointment with the food served on the 22230 Vande Bharat Express journey from Madgaon Junction to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai.

Mukerjee's tweets, accompanied by photos of the unsatisfactory meal, quickly gained attention on social media, sparking a conversation about the quality of services provided to paying passengers.

In his tweet directed at railway authorities, Mukerjee shared two contrasting images: one showcasing a delicious meal served during the train's inaugural run and another illustrating the dismal quality of food he experienced on his recent trip. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the "stone hard paneer, cold food, and stale salty dal" he was served, despite paying a significant amount of Rs 250 for the meal. Additionally, Mukerjee mentioned the absence of yogurt and sanitizer, highlighting the decline in overall service quality.

Dear @drmmumbaicr @Central_Railway @KonkanRailway @RailwaySeva , Sharing few photos in the tweet for your reference.
1.The delicious food from Ahuja Caterers youll served free on the inaugural Run of 22230 Vande Bharat,
2.The Pathetic and Stale Food served (1/3) pic.twitter.com/slhyLFIGej

— Himanshu Mukerjee (@Railfann9971) July 1, 2023

“Please lend me a good explanation if your invited guests enjoy such good food, why can’t a common paying passenger receive the same quality food. All such work has already created a worst impression on the passengers,” he wrote.

This incident, which occurred on July 1, quickly gained traction, garnering more than 1.41 lakh views on the platform. Passengers and social media users alike raised concerns about the stark contrast between the initial offering on the inaugural run and the subsequent decline in food quality. They questioned why invited guests received superior meals, while paying passengers were left with substandard options.

IRCTC responded to the man’s grievance and wrote: “Please be assured that we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality across all aspects of our service, including food preparation and delivery. Request you to share pnr and mobile no preferably in DM.”

Another user pointed out that the quality of food on Duronto Express was also subpar.

“Yes, the food they provide is waste, I traveled in Duronto Express a few days back, and they charged 700/per person for food but the quality was pathetic, although I spent 30 hours, still, the dynamic pricing of the premium train+ the quality of food is not at all worth,” they wrote.

“Food in Mumbai Central - Nizamuddin August Kranti rajdhani (Tejas) is also pathetic,” wrote another user.