Indian Railways-Trains and Railway Station-Improvement in Standards and Cleanliness of Toilets
Initiatives of Indian Railways to improve Standards and Cleanliness of Toilets in Trains and Railway Stations
Some of the major initiatives taken by Indian Railways towards improvement in standards and cleanliness of toilets in trains and at Railway stations are as follows:
1. To avoid dropping of night soils on platform lines and on track, pace of installation of Bio-toilets in Coaches has been intensified under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. It is planned to install bio-toilets in the entire BG coaching fleet of Indian Railways by 2019.
2. Provision of dustbins is being done in non AC coaches also in addition to the AC Coaches.
3. Provision of health faucets in all new AC and non-AC coaches, in addition to mug with chain arrangement.
4. Upgradation of coach toilets in identified rakes.
5. Cleaning of coaches including toilets at both ends including mechanised cleaning through professional agencies at around 145 coaching depots.
6. On Board Housekeeping Service (OBHS) has been provided in more than 1050 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.
7. ‘Coach Mitra’ facility has been introduced in about 1000 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.
8. Separate toilets for men and women are available as per norms at all erstwhile ‘A1’, ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘D’ category railway stations.
However, upgradation of amenities at stations including toilets is a continuous and on-going process and 2894 toilets were constructed / improved in the past four years, and further, construction / improvement works in this regard are being undertaken depending upon need, volume of the passenger traffic and priority subject to availability of funds.
9. Operation of public toilets, both deluxe and normal, with ladies and gents units, is also being done through Public Private Partnership (PPP) model on ‘Pay and Use’ basis. Zonal Railways have been authorized regarding operation and maintenance, including cleanliness of these ‘Pay and Use’ toilets through contracts. More than 900 stations have Normal Pay and Use toilets and about 60 stations have Deluxe Pay and Use toilets.
10. Provision of Integrated Mechanised cleaning contracts with improved processes and machinery at major stations including toilets has been intensified. Currently, mechanised cleaning is done at nearly 520 stations.
11. Special Cleanliness Campaign under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched on Indian Railways on 2nd October, 2014. Regular intensive campaigns / awareness drives have been organised since then over the Indian Railways with the sole objective to achieve significant and sustainable improvements in cleanliness standards of railway stations and trains.
12. Regular inspections at various levels are carried out and deficiencies are made good whenever noticed. Suitable action is taken against the contractors who are found wanting in the performance of their duties.
This information was given in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.