The Comptroller and Auditor Normal (CAG) has flagged violations of prescribed ingesting water high quality norms at railway stations after E. coli micro organism was once detected in water cooler samples from 8 stations throughout a couple of railway zones.
The findings are a part of the CAG’s file on passenger facilities and sanitation at non-suburban railway stations. The audit raised issues over insufficient checking out, abnormal inspections and deficiencies within the tracking of ingesting water equipped to passengers.
E. coli was once detected in samples amassed from 8 railway stations, together with Coimbatore and Palakkad Junction in Southern Railway, Hyderabad in South Central Railway, 4 stations beneath Central Railway — Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bhiwandi Street, Kalyan and Lonavala — and Madhupur in Jap Railway.
The audit discovered that ingesting water high quality assessments weren’t being performed as continuously as prescribed. It additionally famous shortcomings in checking out for residual chlorine, bacteriological contamination and chemical parameters.
In line with the file, samples amassed from stations confirmed the presence of general coliform micro organism, together with E. coli, whilst chlorine ranges have been additionally discovered to be both low or prime at some places. The CAG mentioned a number of parameters prescribed beneath the Uniform Ingesting Water High quality Protocol weren’t examined.
The audit lined ingesting water high quality at railway stations throughout a couple of zones. It discovered general coliform contamination, together with E. coli, in samples amassed from platform faucets at 49 stations throughout 8 railway zones in 2022-23 and at 56 stations throughout 9 zones in 2023-24.
The CAG additionally discovered that bacteriological checking out past general coliform research was once unsatisfactory at 8 stations throughout 4 zones in 2022-23 and 11 stations throughout 5 zones in 2023-24.
Chemical checking out was once every other house of shock. In line with the file, Well being Inspectors didn’t habits chemical assessments of ingesting water at 179 stations throughout 11 railway zones. At every other 77 stations throughout six zones, checking out was once no longer performed on the prescribed frequency.
As in line with the prevailing norms, ingesting water at railway stations is needed to be examined two times a yr.
The Ministry of Railways informed the CAG in September 2025 that motion were initiated at the shortcomings known all over the audit, together with deficiencies within the frequency of water checking out and unsatisfactory check effects.
On the other hand, the CAG mentioned repeated reviews of deficient water high quality at other places confirmed the will for a simpler gadget to make sure secure ingesting water for passengers.
The auditor really helpful strict compliance with prescribed inspection and checking out protocols and complete checking out of ingesting water throughout all parameters specified beneath the Uniform Ingesting Water High quality Protocol.
Learn extra newest information ! Read Now.
