Following repeated passenger complaints regarding poor upkeep, foul bio-toilets, and unhygienic coach conditions on long-distance routes, the Railway Board has stepped in with strict directives to overhaul cleanliness standards across the Indian Railways.
In a letter sent to all railway zones, the Railway Board directed focused, end-to-end monitoring measures for long-distance services, moving away from brief cleanups at originating stations to sustained upkeep throughout the journey. The initial list targets long-haul routes where journey times and high passenger turnaround lead to severe hygiene deterioration. These are the 22503/04 Vivek Express between Dibrugarh and Kanniyakumari, the 15909/10 Avadh Assam Express between Dibrugarh and Lalgarh, the 01665/66 RKMP-AGTL Express between Rani Kamalapati and Agartala, the 19483/84 ADI-SHC Express between Ahmedabad and Saharsa, the 22365/66 DNR-SMVB Superfast Express between Danapur and SMVT Bengaluru, the 11401/02 Pune-SOU Express between Pune and Supaul, the 15707/08 Amrapali Express between Katihar and Amritsar, the 11077/78 Jhelum Express between Pune and Jammu Tawi, the 13201/02 RGD-LTT Express between Rajgir and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, the 22831/32 HWH-YPR Superfast Express between Howrah and Yesvantpur, and the 12203/04 ASR Garib Rath Express between Amritsar and Saharsa. Each of these trains covers a distance between 1,700 km and 4,158 km per trip.
“As part of the first phase, 11 high-priority trains with journey times exceeding 40 hours have been identified for enhanced oversight,” a Railways official said.
In the letter, the Railway Board emphasised that deficiencies relating to housekeeping, toilets, waste management and minor coach amenities in these long-distance trains should be attended to promptly during the journey. As per the Railway Board’s directions, the identified trains will be closely monitored by their owning depots during the journey for cleanliness and upkeep. Maintenance supervisors and Coaching Depot Officers (CDOs) will take ownership of the identified trains, while officers at the zonal level will review the cleanliness status on a weekly basis, along with passenger complaints and their redressal. The performance of On-Board Housekeeping Services (OBHS) agencies will also be closely monitored. “OBHS details available on the CMM (coaching maintenance management) portal have been integrated with Rail Madad, making complaints traceable and enabling assessment of agencies based on their performance. Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) will monitor and take ownership of the performance of long-distance trains within their respective divisions, with a focus on the quality of services provided to passengers. Divisions with nominated en-route inspection points will ensure regular manning and inspection of the identified trains. Recurring complaints and deficiencies will be analysed for their root causes, followed by suitable corrective action without delay. The objective is to ensure sustained cleanliness, serviceability, and quality of passenger amenities throughout the journey rather than improvement only at the originating station. The identified trains may appropriately be brought under the ambit of the New OBHS scheme, with further long-distance trains to be added subsequently. Special attention will be given to Clean Train Station (CTS) points identified along the routes of these trains. The divisions concerned will ensure adequate manpower, consumables and equipment at these locations, while the efficacy of work undertaken by CTS teams will remain the responsibility of the owning division. The initiative also provides for en-route petty repairs. OBHS staff will be trained to undertake small repairs, while CTS points will have arrangements for attending to minor maintenance requirements. “Dedicated teams comprising plumbers, electrical personnel and other required maintenance staff may be deployed at CTS points for prompt attention to deficiencies. To strengthen monitoring and accountability, time-stamped photographs of coaches and toilets will be taken at nominated en-route inspection points as well as at originating and destination stations. The photographic record will facilitate regular assessment of cleanliness and upkeep during the complete journey. “Depots will also ensure the availability of spare rakes to undertake intensive cleaning whenever required based on the condition of the rake. No rake is to be placed in service with deficiencies,” officials further stated. Bio-toilets in the identified trains will be thoroughly checked and attended to at the originating or base depot as well as at identified en-route locations to ensure their effective and trouble-free functioning throughout the journey. The OBHS scheme provides for garbage collection every two hours in all coaches, helping prevent garbage from being thrown onto the tracks. Collected waste is to be handed over at nominated garbage disposal or CTS points for appropriate disposal, with respective divisions responsible for proper management of disposal points.
Zonal Railways have also been advised to define key performance indicators for depot supervisors and officers associated with these long-distance trains,” officials said. Information regarding deficiencies in a train will also be communicated to the concerned CTS point before its arrival, enabling timely intervention,” officials said.
