Modernisation and Sanitation at Railway Stations in India
Modernisation of Railway stations is a continuous and on-going process. Special attention is given towards cleanliness and every endeavour is made to keep the stations & coaches including toilets in properly maintained and clean condition. Some of the major initiatives taken by Indian Railways towards improvement of cleanliness are as follows:
(i) Special Cleanliness Campaign under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched on Indian Railways on 2nd October, 2014. Regular intensive campaigns / drives have been organised since then over the Indian Railways with the sole objective to achieve significant and sustainable improvements in cleanliness standards. The campaigns/drives include display of posters/banners, announcements over public announcement system, wide participation of staff and involvement of social/charitable organizations and NGOs, ‘Nukkad Nataks’ on cleanliness theme etc.
(ii) Provision of Mechanised cleaning contracts with improved processes and machinery at major stations has been intensified. Currently, mechanised cleaning is done at nearly 950 stations.
(iii) The coaches running on Indian Railways(IR) are given periodic stipulated maintenance schedules during which required repairs are attended to IR is also proliferating bio-toilets on its coaching stock so that no human waste is discharged from coaches on to the track. More than 68,000 coaches have been fitted with Bio-toilets. Dustbins are also being provided in all bio-toilet fitting coaches as well.
(iv) Cleaning of coaches including toilets of trains is done at both ends including mechanised cleaning.
(v) Coverage of On Board Housekeeping Service (OBHS) has been increased. Currently, it is provided in more than 1100 pairs of trains including Rajdhani, Shatabdi and other important long distance Mail/Express trains for cleaning of coach toilets, doorways, aisles and passenger compartments during the run of the trains.
(vi) ‘Coach Mitra’ facility has been introduced in about 1060 pairs of OBHS trains. ‘Coach Mitra’ is a single window interface to register coach related requirements of passengers such as cleaning, disinfection, linen, train lighting, air conditioning and watering of coaches.
(vii) Third party audit and ranking of 720 major stations on cleanliness has been carried out during 2019 in order to identify weak points requiring more attention on cleanliness, to get feedback and in still healthy competition. A third party survey for assessment of cleanliness of 209 important trains has also been carried out recently.
(viii) CCTV monitoring of cleanliness has now been extended to 770 stations.
(ix) Ban on plastic of less than 50 micron thickness and single use plastic at railway stations has been made effective w.e.f. 11.09.2019.
(x) Standard bid document (SBD) and General Condition of Contract for Services (GCCS) have been issued to improve effectiveness of cleaning/housekeeping contracts.
(xi) Enforcement of Indian Railways (Penalties for activities affecting cleanliness at railway premises) Rules, 2012 has been intensified.
The coaches running on Indian Railways (IR) are given periodic maintenance as per norms wherein all the safety and amenity fittings are examined for good working condition and defective components are repaired or replaced. Proper cleaning and full watering of all coaches is also ensured during maintenance.
Indian Railways puts into use only those coaches, for running of passengers carrying trains, which are fit in all respect and are within their Codal life. Besides, old/damaged coaches are replaced by new coaches on the basis of age-cum-condition. Further, in its endeavour to provide better and safer journey to the travelling passengers, Indian Railways have decided to proliferate/induct modern Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches and convert trains operating with conventional coaches by LHB coaches, in a phased manner.
Systems are in place in order to ensure that passenger coaches that have completed their prescribed service life, are not allowed in train service in IR. Replacement of in-service passenger coaches from trains on age-cum-condition basis is a continual process.
