The CAG study assessed passenger services at 512 non-suburban grade railway stations across all Indian Railway zones and found that water samples from coolers tested positive for E. coli at eight stations spanning four zones.
E. coli bacteria, some strains of which can cause food poisoning, diarrhoea and kidney failure, have been detected in drinking water samples collected from water coolers at several railway stations, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
At these stations, the amenities were either not provided at all or fell short of the prescribed standards. These amenities include drinking water, waiting halls, seating arrangements, platform shelters, urinals, latrines, high-level platforms, fans, Foot Over Bridges (FOBs), dustbins, clocks and public address systems. These shortcomings related to seating arrangements, sanitary facilities such as urinals and latrines, dustbins, and electronic train indicator boards. Explaining the rationale for the detailed inspection, the CAG noted that the Railway Board had issued various guidelines for providing passenger amenities at stations.
The audit therefore assessed whether the Railways’ efforts to deliver passenger amenities and sanitation facilities were achieving the intended benefits. The audit further revealed that 458 of the 512 selected stations, over 89%, were deficient in providing Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA). In April 2018, the Railway Board (RB) issued comprehensive instructions laying down Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA), Recommended Amenities (RA) and Desirable Amenities (DA) for stations categorised as NSG 1 to NSG 6. The report stated that the Railway Board (RB) had stipulated that Minimum Essential Amenities (MEAs) were to be ensured at all stations by 31 August 2018. It further noted that the RB’s April 2018 instructions mandated that MEAs be provided first at all stations, irrespective of category. Indian Railways has 5,908 stations under the Non-Suburban Group (NSG), according to the CAG. It operated more than 7,424 non-suburban passenger trains daily and carried 292.4 crore non-suburban passengers in 2023-24. Deficiencies were observed even at NSG-1 stations, including CSMT and Mumbai Central in Mumbai, Howrah and Sealdah in West Bengal, and New Delhi.
Water samples drawn from coolers tested positive for E. coli at two stations on the Southern Railway (Coimbatore and Palakkad Junction), one station on the South Central Railway (Hyderabad), four stations on the Central Railway (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan and Lonavala), and one station on the Eastern Railway (Madhupur), according to media reports citing the findings.
