Advance Payment, Rotten Reality: Passengers Slam Substandard Food and Intimidation on Vande Bharat, Tejas

A storm is brewing over food safety and passenger treatment aboard India’s premium trains, with Vande Bharat Express and Tejas Express facing serious allegations of serving foul-smelling, stale meals despite charging passengers in advance for “premium” hospitality.

What began as scattered complaints has escalated into a pattern of viral social media posts, photos of rotten food, hard rotis, watery dal, and unhygienic packaging — exposing a sharp contrast between glossy branding and ground reality. In some reported cases, passengers who questioned the quality or quantity of meals claim they were intimidated, manhandled, or even assaulted by pantry staff, triggering outrage over what critics call a growing “retaliation culture” against complainants. Incidents on other long-distance trains have further amplified concerns, with allegations of physical abuse after passengers used grievance platforms like RailMadad.

While railway authorities maintain that complaint rates are statistically minimal and cite fines, contract terminations, and enhanced monitoring as corrective steps, public anger continues to mount. The controversy has raised uncomfortable questions about contractor accountability, on-board oversight, and whether India’s flagship trains are delivering the premium standards they promise — or merely charging for them.