Viral Vande Bharat video shows ugly reality of passenger etiquette — ‘Maybe we don't deserve it’

Despite the housekeeping staff regularly walking through the coach to collect waste, the video showed garbage haphazardly left behind by the travellers.

In a harsh reality check on passenger etiquette, a viral video showed a littered Vande Bharat coach despite regular trash collection by the railway staff.

Shared on Instagram by Sunil R (@maskedguyslife), the video began with a glowing review of the impressive facilities onboard the Vande Bharat train. The clip showed passengers being served newspapers and meals by the staff.

Railway personnel are also seen diligently moving through the aisles to collect used trays, leftover food, and other garbage. Throughout this segment, the clip emphasises the train's impeccably clean interiors, including its well-maintained washrooms and toilets.

Disappointing reality check

Towards the end, however, the video took a stark turn, revealing the reality of passenger apathy.

Despite the housekeeping staff regularly walking through the coach to collect waste, the video showed garbage haphazardly left behind by the travellers — discarded water bottles, empty snack packets, and cans littered across the coach, with waste carelessly shoved under seats and stuffed into seat pockets.

‘Zero civic sense’

The stark contrast between the staff’s visible efforts and the litter left behind prompted a blunt takeaway from the content creator: “Maybe Indians don’t deserve facilities like Vande Bharat trains,” the video's text overlay read, while the caption called out the public's “‘zero’ civic sense.”

Vande Bharat is ‘genuinely impressive’

In the comment section, Sunil clarified that his video post was “against Vande Bharat or Indian Railways, quite the opposite — The train is genuinely impressive: modern, comfortable, well maintained, onboard service, staff collecting trays, and regular cleaning.”

And that, he said, is exactly what makes the second half so frustrating.

“When a train gives you a bin, staff come to collect your tray, and cleaning staff are already doing their job… yet people still choose the seat pocket, the floor, or even the seat itself as their personal dustbin. What exactly are we fighting here?” he questioned.

The content creator highlighted that this wasn’t some tiny, isolated problem. “Littering and poor civic habits are still far too common across India. We see it on our roads, railway stations, beaches, tourist spots and public spaces every single day.”

He also acknowledged that not every Indian does this, “but pretending the problem is just ‘a few people’ doesn’t help either.”

“We’re building better trains, better stations, better infrastructure and better services. Now our civic behaviour needs to catch up.”

Netizens react

The video sparked widespread disappointment online, with social media users emphasising that civic responsibility must come from the public rather than the government or railway authorities.

“I repeat - MONEY DOESN’T BUY CLASS!” a user commented, pointing out that affording premium travel tickets does not guarantee good etiquette. Another viewer echoed this sentiment regarding national progress, noting, "A developed India is not just about what we build. It is also about how we use what we have."

Many agreed that the blame lies squarely with the passengers. Sharing a personal experience, one frustrated user wrote, “I have tried to educate people when they litter in public places. I was verbally abused every time I tried that. You can't always blame the govt. It's the people. It's always the people.” Others simply summarised the visual of the littered train as "unfortunate and sad."

About the Author

Arshdeep Kaur is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she reports and edits across national and international politics, business and culture‑adjacent trending stories for digital audience. With five years in the newsroom, she strives to balance the speed and rigor of fast‑moving news cycles and longer, context‑rich explainers. <br><br> Before joining LiveMint, Arshdeep served as a Senior Sub‑Editor at Business Standard and earlier as a Sub‑Editor at Asian News International (ANI). Her experience spans live news flows, enterprise features, and multi‑platform packaging. <br><br> At Mint, she regularly writes explainers, quick takes, and visuals‑led stories that are optimized for search and social, while maintaining the publication’s standards for accuracy and clarity. She collaborates closely with editors and the audience team to frame angles that resonate with readers in India and abroad, and to translate complex developments into accessible, high‑impact journalism. <br><br> Arshdeep's academic training underpins her interest towards policy and markets. She earned an MA in Economics from Panjab University and holds a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the India Today Media Institute (ITMI). This blend of economics and broadcast storytelling informs her coverage of public policy, elections, macro themes, and the consumer‑internet zeitgeist. <br><br> Arshdeep is based in New Delhi, where she tracks breaking developments and longer‑horizon storylines that shape public discourse.

^{Get Latest real-time updates}

Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news.

HomeNewsTrendsViral Vande Bharat video shows ugly reality of passenger etiquette — ‘Maybe we don't deserve it’