By Abdullahi Lukman
Over 40 percent of passengers on Indian Railways’ long-distance trains are dissatisfied with toilet cleanliness, while more than half are unhappy with onboard housekeeping services, according to a new audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
The findings, detailed in the report “Cleanliness and Sanitation in Long Distance Trains” covering 2018–2023, are based on a survey of 2,426 passengers across 96 trains from 16 railway zones.
The audit attributed poor sanitary conditions to inadequate manpower, lack of equipment, and irregular monitoring.
While 89% of cleanliness-related complaints were resolved on time, the audit noted significant regional disparities. Passenger dissatisfaction with toilet hygiene exceeded 50% in zones like East Coast, Western, and Eastern Railways.
In contrast, satisfaction was above 90% in Northern and North Central Railways.
Bio-toilets in AC coaches were generally better maintained than those in non-AC coaches. However, improper usage and water shortages contributed to sanitation issues.
The CAG recommended awareness campaigns to educate passengers on proper toilet use and urged better water refilling systems at frequently affected stations.
About 15 percent of passengers reported lack of water in washrooms, and over one lakh water shortage complaints were logged in 2022–23 via the Rail Madad app.
In terms of On-Board Housekeeping Services (OBHS), joint inspections on 15 trains revealed deficiencies in 13, including clogged washbasins, dirty toilets, and unclean vestibules.
The audit also reviewed the Clean Train Stations (CTS) scheme—designed to ensure mechanised cleaning during halts—and found it underperforming due to poor staffing, limited machine use, and weak contract enforcement.
The report highlighted that police verification of contractual cleaning staff was not consistently conducted, raising safety and accountability concerns.
