New Delhi: In an indicator of frequent hygiene issues on long distance trains-a deleted toilet and impure wasashbasin have been found in an audit by the Competolar and Auditor General (CAG) to the lack of water and dirty vestibuel areas that more than 40% of the passengers were more dissatisfied with the cleaning of the toilet.This findings are based on a detailed survey of 2,426 on-board passengers in 96 selected trains organized by audit offices from 16 zones. Results are a part of the report titled “Cleanliness and Cleanliness in Cleanliness and Cleanliness” for the duration of 2018-19 to 2022-23.However, the auditor stated that 89% of the complaints related to the toilet cleaning were addressed within the stipulated time frame, indicating a degree of accountability.The audit has highlighted the poor and irregular monitoring by railway officials as well as inadequate deployment of manpower and cleaning equipment, as the major causes behind the poor sanitary conditions on long distance vehicles.According to the report, bio-toilets in AC coaches were found in better position than non-AC coaches. Passenger dissatisfaction exceeded 50% in five areas including East Coast, Western and Eastern Railway. In contrast, the level of satisfaction in the Northern and North Central Railway crossed 90%.Identifying improper use as a major contributor factor, the CAG recommended “special efforts to raise passenger awareness about proper use of bio-toilets, especially in cases related to non-availability of water or dirt in normal areas such as near sinks.”On the issue of water availability, the audit surveyed six selected trains in each area and recorded passenger response. Out of the 2,426 passengers conducted, 366 (15%) reported a shortage of water in toilets or washbasin. The report also said that more than one lakh complaints about water scarcity in the train toilets and in Washbasin 2022-23 were registered through the Rail Madad app.To address this, CAG especially recorded more frequent complaints at long distance trains and stations that recorded more complaints.For the assessment of on-board housekeeping services (OBHS), joint inspections were conducted with railway officials on 15 trains. 13 of them found lack of service, including a washbasin dissolved at the door, dirty lavatory in sleeper coaches, waterfalls in toilets and unclean vestibul areas.The audit also reviewed the performance of the Clean Train Stations (CTS) scheme, which was introduced to provide mechanized cleaning of major coach areas such as bio-toilets, doorway and vestibules during a brief stop at enrit stations. The report stated that the desired benefits of the scheme were not fully felt due to failing to implement the contractual obligations for railway officials, including the deployment of adequate resources within the scheduled stage time.During a joint inspection of 29 CT in 12 areas, the audit observed limited cleaning of toilets and other areas and decrease in the use of machines and deployment of manpower.The report also explained how the authorities at the zonal level failed to ensure compliance with the criteria of police verification of contractual employees deployed on trains that despite several examples of the crime, the employees have been included, which stated, including a passenger raped by a passenger on the Delhi-Ahmedabad Swarana Razdhani train.
