Bacterial presence in water samples collected from water coolers and water taps at various stations of Indian Railways has caused concern over the quality of drinking water, according to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report.
Coimbatore station, Palakkad station (both from the Southern Railway) and four stations (Central Railway), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan, Lonavala, and Madhupur in the Eastern Railway were among the afflicted stations.
The audit covered the passenger services at 512 NSG stations in various railway zones.
The CAG report indicates that in 2022-23, 49 stations in eight zones, and in 2023-24, 56 stations in nine zones were sampled, with total coliform bacteria (including E. coli) present in both years.
E. coli is found associated with faecal contamination and some E. coli strains can lead to illnesses, such as food poisoning and diarrhoea. In severe cases, E. coli can also cause kidney problems.
Auditing also found general shortcomings of passenger facilities. In 512 stations, with which examination is being made, 458, about 90 per cent, were discovered to be deficient in Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA).
Railway Board has set detailed requirements for Minimum Essential Amenities, Recommended and Desirable Amenities for stations falling under the categories NSG-1 to NSG-6 in April, 2018. The Board had directed that all stations will receive all essential amenities by August 31, 2018.
The Indian Railways classify major stations as Non-Suburban Group (NSG) category 1 to 6 depending on various parameters such as passenger revenue and importance etc.
The highest level of NSG-1 stations are such as major railway stations with annual passenger turnover of above Rs 500 cr and passengers above 2 crore.
The station classification also has an impact on the extent of infrastructure and passenger facilities at the stations including waiting halls, lifts, escalators, catering facilities etc.
The results have cast doubts on the safety of drinking water and the availability of various facilities for passengers at the concerned stations, which Indian Railways has to address in several stations.