An audit of passenger amenities and sanitation by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has revealed persistent and widespread deficiencies across Indian Railways.
The CAG has observed that there is a risk that lower-priority works may be undertaken under the guise of redevelopment in the Railways, while long-pending compliance with mandatory norms continues to be compromised or diluted.
Out of these, 79 toilets remained non-operational due to the absence of service providers for operation and maintenance. Of these, 62 toilet blocks remained non-operational due to factors such as non-deployment of contractual staff, availability of existing Pay & Use toilets at stations, and delays in finalisation of bids through e-auction. As a result, CSR fund investment of ₹15.50 crore by M/s Mahanadi Coalfields Limited remained unutilised as of March 2025, the CAG report noted.
For instance, in Southern Railway, during 2020–2023, 187 pre-fabricated toilets were installed at a cost of ₹0.25 crore per unit. Consequently, CSR fund investment of ₹19.75 crore by M/s Neyveli Lignite Corporation remained unutilised as of February 2025, the CAG report noted. In East Coast Railway, during 2021–2024, 92 pre-fabricated toilet blocks were provided at a cost of ₹0.25 crore per unit.
