Caterpillar Found in Upma Served on Vande Bharat Express: Passengers Outraged, Contractor Fined ₹25,000

Bhopal, : A passenger traveling on the Vande Bharat Express between Bhopal and Delhi was shocked to find a caterpillar in the upma served to him on Sunday, sparking outrage among the passengers. The incident quickly went viral after the passenger, Abhay Singh Sengar, recorded a video and shared it online.

Sengar, who boarded the train in Bhopal, discovered the caterpillar after unwrapping his breakfast at around 9 a.m., shortly after the train departed from Jhansi railway station. Disturbed by the discovery, he immediately lodged a complaint with the train staff. Although the staff provided him with another meal, Sengar stated that he had already disembarked at Gwalior station by the time the replacement food arrived.

In response to the incident, IRCTC's Regional Manager, R Bhattacharya, confirmed that the passenger was provided with an alternative meal and assured that strict action would be taken against the food vendor to prevent such occurrences in the future. IRCTC Catering Manager BS Kaushal announced that a fine of ₹25,000 had been imposed on the catering contractor responsible for the food served on the Vande Bharat Express.

This is not the first time the Vande Bharat Express has faced criticism for the quality of its food service. On June 18, a similar incident occurred when a cockroach was found in a meal served on the same train. That incident also drew significant attention, leading IRCTC to issue an apology to the affected passenger. Reports of substandard food and beverages on the premium train have surfaced on multiple occasions, raising concerns about the quality control measures in place.