Unauthorised mineral water bottles seized from Vikramshila Express

Patna: A team of Danapur division commercial officials seized a huge cache of unauthorised mineral water bottles in the pantry car of Bhagalpur-Anand Vihar Vikramshila Express (12367) late on Wednesday evening during a surprise raid.The team seized a total of 384 mineral water bottles of various brands, which were being sold in violation of railway norms. As per current guidelines, only ‘Rail Neer’, the IRCTC-approved brand is permitted for sale aboard trains, Danapur senior divisional commercial manager Abhinav Siddarth said, adding the use of unauthorised water brands raised concerns about passenger safety and quality standards.“An investigation is underway to determine the extent of the violation and whether similar practices are being followed on other trains. Preliminary reports suggested that the pantry car contractor must have procured and stocked these bottles to cut costs, bypassing the mandatory supply chain set by the Indian Railways,” he said.According to sources, the railways has been pushing for stricter enforcement of catering and hygiene regulations across its network, especially in premium and long-distance trains. “More such surprise checks will be carried out in the coming days to ensure full compliance,” a railway official of Danapur said, adding passengers are advised to report any irregularities in food or water supply via Rail Madad app or through official helpline number 139.