The Indian Railways received over 1 lakh passenger complaints about the non-availability of water in toilets and wash basins during 2022-23, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) revealed in a report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.
According to the audit, 33,937 complaints (33.84%) were resolved beyond the expected response time, raising concerns over sanitation and passenger convenience.
The CAG report, which reviewed “Cleanliness and Sanitation in Long-Distance Trains” from 2018-19 to 2022-23, underscored the critical link between hygiene standards and passenger health.
A passenger survey covering 2,426 travellers across 96 trains showed satisfaction levels above 50% in five railway zones, but below 10% in two zones.
The audit also flagged:
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Delayed Quick Watering Arrangements (QWA): Of 109 stations identified for QWA, only 81 were operational by March 2023, with delays of up to four years at 28 stations.
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Budget overshoots: Expenditure on cleanliness and linen management often exceeded allocations—going as high as 145% in some zones.
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Underused Automatic Coach Washing Plants (ACWPs): 33% of inspected plants were non-functional, forcing manual cleaning of over 1.3 lakh coaches.
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Ineffective Clean Train Stations (CTS): Limited cleaning was observed during en-route halts due to poor contractor performance.
On the positive side, the CAG praised Western Railway’s BOOT laundry at Kankaria Depot, which was found to be cost-effective and eco-friendly.
Despite gaps, On Board Housekeeping Services (OBHS) recorded 54–84% passenger satisfaction, with Northern and North Central Railways crossing 95%.
The audit has urged stricter monitoring, better resource allocation, and faster implementation of water-filling infrastructure to improve hygiene standards across Indian Railways.
