Indian Railways is often described as the lifeline of the nation. With millions of commuters travelling over thousands of kilometres every day, it is considered one of the largest railway networks in the world. Keeping such a huge network clean is indeed quite challenging yet necessary. Over time, Indian Railways has made commendable efforts to keep its premises hygienic. Nevertheless, even after numerous measures, lack of hygiene is still one of the biggest complaints from passengers.
From overflowing bins and dirty trains to filthy stations and poorly kept toilets, the problems related to hygiene seem to persist at various levels in the railways. There have been cases in which certain issues raised serious concerns about hygiene protocols followed by the Indian railways. Not long ago, FSSAI had issued an official notice to IRCTC after a video allegedly showing catering staff washing utensils inside a train toilet went viral on social media platforms. So, let’s get to know what happened:
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A video showing catering staff washing utensils inside a train toilet went viral on social media
Recently, the video went viral on the social media platform X, which appears to be capturing a shocking incident in train number 12223, the Mumbai-Ernakulam Duronto Express. The clip was first amplified by the Uttar Pradesh Congress unit, which questioned railway hygiene standards and passenger safety.
Sharing the video on X, the party alleged that utensils used for serving food were being cleaned inside a toilet compartment of a train, calling the situation deeply concerning. It immediately sparked fears regarding food hygiene and sanitation practices on such premium trains. This particular episode occurred in the first AC class of the train, wherein the quality of service is expected to be of high standard.
Have a look at the original video:
यात्रीगण कृपया ध्यान दें..
आपकी सेहत पर सीधा हमला किया जा रहा है।
दुरंतो एक्सप्रेस के कैटरिंग स्टाफ को यात्रियों के भोजन के बर्तनों को टॉयलेट के अंदर, कमोड के ठीक बगल में धोते हुए कैमरे में कैद किया गया है।
रेल मंत्री जी, टॉयलेट के पानी से धुलने वाले बर्तनों में खाना परोस कर… pic.twitter.com/U4dZPWfenb
— UP Congress (@INCUttarPradesh) May 29, 2026
Immediately after the video went viral, the official X handle of IRCTC responded to the incident, saying that action has been taken and the penalty has also been imposed on those who are responsible for this.
Regarding 24/05/26 incident, prompt action was taken and penalty was imposed on the service provider and concerned staff were taken off duty.
Passenger safety is paramount. IRCTC upholds rigorous hygiene protocols, and act decisively against any breach.
— IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) May 29, 2026
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Despite IRCTC’s action, the FSSAI issued a notice to Indian Railways
As the backlash increased, the FSSAI made it clear that it was aware of the viral video. Along with an official statement about the matter, FSSAI wrote on X:
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FSSAI has issued a statutory notice to @IRCTCofficial regarding serious food safety and hygiene violations on Train No. 12223. IRCTC has been directed to immediately submit a comprehensive Action Taken Report (ATR) on the matter.
Have a look at the whole statement:
FSSAI has issued a statutory notice to @IRCTCofficial regarding serious food safety and hygiene violations on Train No. 12223. IRCTC has been directed to immediately submit a comprehensive Action Taken Report (ATR) on the matter. pic.twitter.com/y87MHBtCSM
— FSSAI (@fssaiindia) May 30, 2026
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In the statement, the authority issued an outright condemnation of this action, pointing out that such actions are “extremely unhygienic practices” for handling food products and do not comply with the hygiene and sanitation standards required by law under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations 2011. FSSAI also ordered IRCTC to “provide explanations for the video footage.”
FSSAI also issued a clarification regarding the notice served to IRCTC
In the wake of the statutory notice, on May 30, 2026, FSSAI also shared a formal public statement on X regarding the controversy. Escalating the regulatory response to the viral train toilet footage, the official FSSAI X post announced:
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FSSAI has issued a statutory notice to @IRCTCofficial regarding serious food safety and hygiene violations on Train No. 12223. IRCTC has been directed to immediately submit a comprehensive Action Taken Report (ATR) on the matter. pic.twitter.com/dcoWRQrBxt
— FSSAI (@fssaiindia) May 30, 2026
IRCTC also issued a statement in response to FSSAI’s notice
In the wake of the statutory notice, the IRCTC made its own clarifications about the hygiene problem on social media. As per the official statement released by IRCTC about the incident on May 24, 2026, the company stated that all mobile catering units function under FSSAI licenses obtained by designated railway authorities and not by FSSAI itself.
In order to deal with the breach of protocol, the company has initiated stringent steps such as imposition of a fine on the service provider, removal of the employees from their posts, permanent blacklisting of the pantry manager and issuance of a ‘show cause’ notice to the licence holder. In addition, an enquiry into the matter is being conducted, and further actions will be taken after proper orders have been issued as per the results.
All mobile catering units operates with FSSAI licenses issued by designated Railway authorities as per rules and regulations and not FSSAI authorities.
Regarding 24/05/26 incident, prompt action was taken and penalty was imposed on the service provider and concerned staff were…
— IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) May 30, 2026
What do you think about this incident? Do share your thoughts with us in the comments section of this article.
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