If you frequently travel by Indian Railways and refill your water bottle at railway stations, you may want to take note of this. Indian Railways is set to strengthen its drinking water system across the network after a recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report flagged serious gaps in drinking water facilities and sanitation at several stations, including the presence of E. coli bacteria in water samples. Scroll on to know more about this.
CAG Flags E. Coli In Railway Station Water At Several Stations
According to The Indian Express, the CAG has flagged violations of water quality norms after E. coli was detected in drinking water samples from water coolers at several railway stations. The findings have raised concerns over the quality of drinking water and passenger safety.
In its report, Passenger Amenities and Sanitation at Non-Suburban Railway Stations in Indian Railways, the CAG said E. coli was found in samples collected from eight out of 49 stations surveyed across four railway zones. These included Coimbatore and Palakkad Junction in Southern Railway; Hyderabad in South Central Railway; Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan and Lonavala in Central Railway; and Madhupur in Eastern Railway.
E. coli can indicate faecal contamination, so that means the affected water may not be safe to drink. The audit also found signs of bacterial contamination in water supplied through taps on railway platforms.
According to the report, samples collected from taps at 49 stations across eight zones in 2022-23 and 56 stations across nine zones in 2023-24 showed the presence of total coliform bacteria, including E. coli. The CAG also found that bacteriological testing beyond total coliform checks was unsatisfactory at several stations during both years.
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Indian Railways To Improve Drinking Water Quality
According to Deccan Herald, following a review of the CAG findings, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has ordered corrective measures to improve water quality and monitoring at stations. As part of the plan, Railways will introduce a ‘Tank To Tap’ Water Filtration System at around 20,000 locations, including water coolers across the network.
The move is aimed at ensuring that water supplied to passengers and railway staff is properly filtered and monitored before it reaches the tap. The new system is expected to bring greater consistency to water quality checks and address gaps highlighted in the CAG report.
The Railway Ministry has also directed officials to ensure stricter compliance with drinking water quality standards and take corrective action wherever deficiencies are found. The focus will be on strengthening the entire process, from water storage and filtration to its final supply to passengers.
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These planned upgrades are expected to make water at Indian railway stations safer and improve the overall quality of basic facilities available to travellers.
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FAQs
What did the CAG report find about drinking water at railway stations?
The CAG found E. coli and other signs of bacterial contamination in drinking water samples collected from several railway stations.