Vande Bharat Express passengers return food, call it ‘smelling and very dirty’. Videos

The food on a Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express was allegedly not satisfactory. (Representational)

Passengers aboard a Vande Bharat Express train voiced their dissatisfaction with the quality of food served during their journey from Delhi to Varanasi. The issue gained attention when X user Akas Keshari took to social media, sharing two videos highlighting the unappealing state of the meals served on the train.

Keshari expressed his disappointment and asked for a refund in a tweet addressed to Indian Railways, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Vande Bharat Express, stating, "Hi sir, I am in journey with 22416 from NDLS to BSB. Food that was served now is smelling and very dirty. Food quality is subpar. Kindly refund my entire amount. These vendors are spoiling the brand name of Vande Bharat Express."

One video showed several passengers asking the train staff to take their food trays away. A second clip showed a close-up of the food served in tin foil packaging.

@indianrailway__ @AshwiniVaishnaw @VandeBharatExp Hi sir I am in journey with 22416 from NDLS to BSB. Food that was served now is smelling and very dirty food quality. Kindly refund my all the money.. These vendor are spoiling the brand name of Vande Bharat express . pic.twitter.com/QFPWYIkk2k

— Akash Keshari (@akash24188) January 6, 2024

Several complaints regarding the food quality on Vande Bharat Express trains have made to social media with a passenger, last year, sharing comparative pictures of food served on the inaugural train as compared to the present.

On a Bhopal-Gwalior Vande Bharat train, a cockroach was found in the meal pack of one of the passengers who raised a complaint. Another found a polythene piece inside a food packet served on the Delhi-Bhopal train last year.

Manufactured indigenously in India and first service commencing in 2019, the Vande Bharat Express trains can reach semi-high speeds and is the second fastest type of train in India.