Rs 585 Catering Charge, ‘Poor’ Food: Passenger Flags Hard Rotis, Watery Gravy on Pune Duronto

Pune, 24th August 2026: A passenger travelling on the Pune Duronto Express has raised a complaint over the quality and quantity of food served onboard, after paying ₹585 towards catering charges for the journey from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Pune.

The passenger was travelling on Train No. 12264 Pune Duronto Express in a 3AC coach on August 24. In a written feedback form issued by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the passenger rated the quality of food, quantity of food and overall satisfaction as “Poor”, while the presentation of food was rated “Good” and staff behaviour “Average”.

In the complaint, the passenger stated that the rotis/parathas were very hard to eat, while the chicken gravy was of poor quality and the quantity of food was also inadequate. The passenger also raised concerns over the system of collecting tips and sought immediate action on the issue.

Separately, in a social media complaint, the passenger alleged that the food served on the premium train included hard rotis/parathas, watery dal and gravy, and melted ice cream served after the meal. The passenger said the food quality did not meet the standard expected on a premium train and requested authorities to look into the matter.

The ticket issued for the journey shows ₹585 as catering charges, including GST, in addition to the railway fare and other applicable charges.

Responding to the complaint, IRCTC stated that the matter was being apprised to the concerned officials for examination.

The passenger also tagged Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Munde while raising the complaint, seeking attention to the food-quality concerns.

The complaint and the IRCTC response come as the passenger seeks scrutiny of the catering service provided during the journey.