Special Drive Launched to Ensure Safe and Clean Drinking Water Across Samastipur Division
East Central Railway’s Samastipur Division has launched a special drive to strengthen the availability of clean, safe and hygienic drinking water for passengers and railway employees at stations, workplaces and railway colonies.
The initiative is being implemented in coordination with the concerned railway departments, with senior officials regularly monitoring and reviewing the progress. The drive focuses on improving water quality, maintaining storage facilities and ensuring that safe drinking water remains available to passengers and staff.
As part of the special cleanliness and disinfection campaign, 795 overhead, underground and PVC water storage tanks have been identified across the division. So far, 357 of these tanks have been cleaned and disinfected. Work on the remaining tanks is being closely monitored to ensure that the cleaning and disinfection process is completed at the earliest.
The division is also taking steps to strengthen water treatment infrastructure. An automatic chlorination plant is already operational at Samastipur station, while similar facilities have been proposed at other locations. Chlorination plays an important role in disinfecting drinking water and maintaining its quality during storage and distribution.
An iron removal plant is currently operational at Dauram Madhepura station. Proposals have also been made to install iron removal plants at Saharsa and Banmankhi stations. Such treatment facilities are intended to address water-quality issues at locations where the source water requires additional treatment before being supplied for consumption.
To further improve water storage capacity and ensure adequate availability of drinking water, approval has been granted for the construction of five new reinforced cement concrete (RCC) water tanks, each with a capacity of 50,000 gallons. These tanks are planned at Supaul, Saraigarh, Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Lalitgram and Saharsa stations.
The special drive is being undertaken in accordance with Railway Board directions on improving drinking water quality. It includes cleaning of water storage tanks, chlorination and disinfection, regular monitoring of water quality, and a review of treatment requirements from the water source to the point of supply.
Under the initiative, water quality is being assessed at different stages between the source and the tap. This assessment is intended to identify locations where filtration, treatment or other corrective measures may be required. The approach is aimed at ensuring that water quality is monitored throughout the supply chain rather than only at the final point of consumption.
Railway colonies and various work sites have also been brought under the scope of the campaign. Location-wise deficiencies are being identified and necessary corrective measures are being taken. The division is reviewing existing water supply arrangements and maintenance requirements to address shortcomings and improve reliability.
A monitoring and review mechanism has been put in place to track the progress of the campaign and ensure that corrective measures are implemented in a timely manner. Regular reviews are also aimed at preventing deterioration in water quality and maintaining the cleanliness of water storage and distribution systems.
The initiative covers both passenger-facing facilities and areas used by railway employees, reflecting the division’s focus on maintaining safe drinking water infrastructure across its operational network.
East Central Railway has reiterated its commitment to providing passengers and railway employees with safe, clean and reliable drinking water. The initiative forms part of the broader effort to maintain water infrastructure, undertake preventive maintenance and implement timely corrective measures across its divisions.
