Drinking water tap at a railway station
A recent audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has raised serious concerns regarding the quality of drinking water provided at various railway stations across the country. The audit, which covered a five-year period ending in 2024, detected the presence of E. coli bacteria, a clear violation of established Railway Board norms.
Beyond the contamination of drinking water, the auditor also highlighted widespread unhygienic conditions in railway washrooms. Many stations were found to be deficient in essential passenger amenities, including a lack of functional drinking water taps and adequate latrine facilities. Alarmingly, even stations classified as top-tier also exhibited deficiencies in basic passenger facilities, indicating a systemic issue in maintaining hygiene and service standards.
The findings underscore a significant gap in the execution and enforcement of hygiene and safety protocols by railway authorities, potentially impacting the health and well-being of millions of passengers who rely on these facilities daily.
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