In a post on X, Anita shared a picture of her in-train meal, criticising the catering. She alleged that the roti was “as hard as papad,” the paneer was stale, and the dal was watery. Tagging the Railway Ministry and Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in her post, she questioned the credibility of the railway’s ‘world-class’ service.
“PNR No 2338310371, the food served on the Tejas Express was utterly deplorable. The roti was as hard as papad, the paneer was stale, and instead of dal, only water was served. Is this the railway’s “world-class” service? Stop playing with passengers’ health! Honourable @AshwiniVaishnaw ji, please take note. @RailMinIndia,” she wrote.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) responded quickly, noting that meals were examined before service and that no other passengers in her coach had complained. But they acknowledged the input and assured they would take proper action to resolve the situation.
“With reference to the feedback regarding catering services provided by you on 11/07/25 in the New Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express train, we wish to inform you that the quality of the food is checked before serving, and no complaints in this regard have been received from other passengers in the said coach; rather, the catering has generally been appreciated,” the IRCTC wrote.
“The catering team available on the train attended to you and also offered a replacement meal. Nevertheless, taking your feedback seriously and to further strengthen the quality, a senior official has been appointed to ensure compliance with all standards, and appropriate guidelines will be ensured accordingly,” it said.
PNR No 2338310371
तेजस एक्सप्रेस में मिला खाना बेहद घटिया था। रोटी पापड़ जैसी सख्त, पनीर बासी और दाल की जगह सिर्फ़ पानी परोसा गया।
क्या यही है रेलवे की “वर्ल्ड क्लास” सेवा? यात्रियों की सेहत से खिलवाड़ बंद हो!माननीय @AshwiniVaishnaw जी, कृपया संज्ञान लें।@RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/v0t0bbwwWE
— Anita Singh (@AnitaSingh_) July 11, 2025
This incident soon led to a heated conversation online about the food quality on premium trains, with some people sharing similar experiences while many defended the railway’s efforts to maintain standards.
A user commented, “How to make bad food, for that IRCTC and railway platforms are excellent examples, travel across India and you won’t find 10 stations or five trains where you can eat the food wholeheartedly.”
“Unsatisfactory response by the Railways. This is not the first time concerns have been raised about food quality, mismanagement, and even misbehaviour by pantry staff. Immediate action against the vendor is needed,” another added.
“You can’t get 5 stars, madam. If you’re so health-conscious, bring food from home. Were you exploring food on the train? Let the railways focus on train timings, staff behaviour, and safety-related work. Thank you,” a user posted.
This was not the first time a passenger expressed concerns about catering on Indian trains. In a similar incident last year, a passenger on the Mumbai-bound Tejas Express expressed shock after discovering a worm in the upma given to him on the train.
