IRCTC Initiates Legal Action Against Influencer Over Rail Neer Bromate Claims

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation has initiated legal action in Mumbai against an influencer following claims on social media that a sample of its packaged drinking water brand, Rail Neer, contained bromate at 8.4 times the prescribed limit.

The action has been initiated through IRCTC's legal department, which has appointed a lawyer to handle further legal proceedings.

The claim was made by the Trustified YouTube channel, which stated that its laboratory test detected 0.084 mg per litre (84 micrograms per litre) of bromate in a Rail Neer sample. The prescribed limit cited in the report for packaged drinking water is 0.01 mg per litre (10 micrograms per litre). Based on these test results, the channel alleged that the sample contained approximately 8.4 times the permitted level, raising concerns over the safety of drinking water supplied to railway passengers.

Bromate can form during the ozonation process utilized to disinfect drinking water. Prolonged exposure to elevated levels of the compound has been linked to potential health concerns, including toxic effects on kidneys and possible carcinogenic risks. However, the reported test result relates to a specific sample and does not by itself demonstrate that all Rail Neer water supplied by IRCTC contains bromate above permissible limits.

IRCTC defended its manufacturing and quality-control standards, maintaining that Rail Neer is produced in full compliance with applicable regulations. The corporation stated that mandatory chemical and microbiological quality checks are conducted in accordance with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms.

According to IRCTC, its Rail Neer production facilities maintain strict quality control, monitoring, and testing systems designed to protect consumer health and safety.

The legal steps come as the issue gains attention among railway passengers across the network, where Rail Neer remains one of the primary packaged drinking water brands sold at railway stations and aboard trains.