A complaint by a passenger from Ranchi has triggered a discussion online about food safety and service standards on trains, after she alleged falling seriously
ill following a meal served onboard the Vande Bharat Express. The woman, identified as Ayushi Singh, took to X to detail her experience, claiming she developed a severe allergic reaction after consuming food during her journey. She further alleged that her two-year-old son suffered from diarrhoea after the same meal, raising concerns about the quality and hygiene of onboard catering. In her post on X, the woman said she was travelling in coach E1 of the Vande Bharat Express (train number 22500) on March 27. She appealed to authorities to "look into the matter urgently," calling the allergic reaction potentially life-threatening. She wrote, ''@RailwaySeva @drmljn. Kindly look into the matter urgently. I was travelling in Vande Bharat 22500 E1 coach on 27.3.26 and after consuming lunch, I developed a severe allergy which could have been life threatening. My Son (2 yrs) too developed diarrhoea.'' She further wrote, ''This is how the allergy escalated further and after consulting a Doctor, I was told that it could have been life threatening had I not consulted immediately.'' Apart from the food, Singh raised concerns about the drinking water served onboard, stating that it had an unusual taste, which added to her worries about hygiene and safety standards.
Responding to the allegations, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation stated that the food served on the specified journey had been inspected. "Lunch on Train No. 22500 BSB-DGHR Vande Bharat Express (Coach E1) on 27.03.2026 was checked & found satisfactory. No other complaints received regarding quality, hygiene or safety of food on the day."
The incident has since drawn attention to passenger experiences on high-end train services, where expectations around quality and safety are significantly higher. While IRCTC maintains that standards were met on that day, Singh’s account presents a contrasting narrative that has resonated with many online.
