CAG Report Flags Contaminated Drinking Water at Railway Stations across India, 89% Lack Basic Facilities

A CAG audit of 512 non-suburban railway stations has found contaminated drinking water at several stations and serious gaps in basic passenger facilities.

The report, covering the period from 2019-20 to 2023-24, found that 59 stations across six railway zones had not undergone the required bacteriological testing of drinking water.

E. Coli Found in Railway Station Water

Water samples collected during the audit tested positive for E. coli and total coliform bacteria at several stations, raising concerns over the safety of water available to passengers.

The affected stations included Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Kalyan, Lonavala and Bhiwandi Road in the Western and Central zones. Coimbatore and Palakkad Junction, Hyderabad and Madhupur were also among the stations where contaminated water was detected.

The report noted that E. coli and coliform bacteria can indicate faecal contamination and pose health risks if present in drinking water.

458 Stations Fell Short of Basic Standards

The CAG audit found that 458 of the 512 stations examined  around 89%  either lacked basic passenger amenities or had facilities below the prescribed standards.

The Railway Board had directed in April 2018 that stations should have facilities such as seating, shelters, clean toilets, fans, foot overbridges, water coolers and train display boards. The audit found that these requirements had not been adequately met at a large number of stations.

Even several high-category NSG-1 stations, including New Delhi, Howrah, Sealdah, Mumbai Central and CSMT, were found to have inadequate or poorly maintained passenger amenities.

Water Shortage and Poor Toilet Facilities

The audit also highlighted wider shortcomings in passenger services.

According to the report, 2,035 stations faced shortages of tap water. Proper urinal facilities were unavailable at 403 stations, while 201 stations had fewer toilets than required under the prescribed norms.

Many existing toilets were also found to be poorly maintained and unsuitable for regular use.

Coliform Detected at Dozens of Stations

The problem was not limited to the stations where E. coli was detected during the latest audit.

The report recorded the presence of coliform bacteria in platform tap water at 49 stations across eight railway zones in 2022-23 and at 56 stations across nine zones in 2023-24.

The findings raise questions over regular water-quality monitoring at stations used by millions of passengers.

CAG Calls for Uniform Water Safety Measures

The CAG has recommended immediate corrective action by the Railway Ministry and railway authorities.

It called for a uniform drinking-water quality protocol across railway stations, regular cleaning and testing of water pipelines, tanks and water coolers, and better maintenance of toilets and other passenger facilities.

The recommendations come against the backdrop of continued investment in railway infrastructure and rising passenger expectations for safe and hygienic facilities at stations.