Clean Indore, Dirty Trains? Railway Hygiene Under Scrutiny

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Cockroaches, unclean washrooms and leaking coach ceilings turned a train journey into a consumer dispute, prompting an Indore commission to direct Western Railway’s Ratlam Division to pay passengers Rs 10,000 for deficiency in service.

The case echoes concerns in a Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) performance audit, which flagged rising coach-hygiene complaints, inadequate cleaning infrastructure, weak contractor monitoring and shortcomings in grievance handling.

The CAG audit, covering 2018-19 to 2022-23, recorded a 229% increase in coach-cleanliness complaints, from 69,950 in 2019-20 to 2,42,431 in 2022-23.

Although increased complaints do not necessarily establish deteriorating cleanliness, the audit identified operational deficiencies in railway hygiene systems.

Water Shortages and Cleaning Delays

Indian Railways received 1,00,280 complaints in 2022-23 about unavailable water in coach toilets and washbasins. Of these, 33,937 (33.84%) were addressed beyond the stipulated timeline.

Of 24 automatic coach-washing plants inspected, eight were non-operational due to breakdowns or repairs. During the audit period, 1,32,060 coaches were manually washed under contract for Rs 2.58 crore.

The audit also flagged limited cleaning, inadequate machinery use and manpower shortages under the Clean Train Stations scheme.

Consumer Commissions Step In

Passengers travelling towards Yeshwantpur on Aug 6, 2023, submitted tickets, RailMadad records and a formal representation after onboard staff failed to resolve hygiene complaints.

Finding that Western Railway had not adequately established resolution of the grievances, the District Commission Indore ordered Ratlam Division to pay Rs 10,000 towards mental agony and litigation expenses, with 6% interest for delayed payment.

Other consumer commission rulings highlight accountability for sanitation and service failures:

Dinesh Seth vs. Union of India & Western Railway: The MP State Commission awarded a refund of the AC-sleeper fare differential and enhanced compensation to Rs 25,000 for non-functional AC and unhygienic coach conditions out of Indore.

Nagendra & Family vs. South Western Railway: The District Commission Indore awarded Rs 10,000 compensation, Rs 5,000 costs and a full ticket refund after 24 passengers abandoned their journey following complete water depletion in coach washrooms.