E. coli in railway station drinking water? CAG flags major lapses across India

New Delhi: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged widespread deficiencies in passenger amenities and sanitation at railway stations, including the presence of E. coli bacteria in drinking water from water coolers at eight stations.

In its report, Passenger Amenities and Sanitation at Non-Suburban Railway Stations in Indian Railways, tabled in Parliament on August 12, the CAG said railway zones had failed to comply with several norms framed by the Railway Ministry for passenger amenities.

The audit found that bacteriological analysis of drinking water had not been carried out at 59 stations across six zones.

Water samples from water coolers tested positive for E. coli at two stations — Coimbatore and Palakkad Junction — under Southern Railway, Hyderabad under South Central Railway, four stations — Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan and Lonavala — under Central Railway, and Madhupur under Eastern Railway.

The CAG also found Total coliform bacteria, including E. coli, in drinking water samples collected from platform taps at 49 stations across eight zones in 2022-23 and 56 stations across nine zones in 2023-24.

Bacteriological tests other than those for Total coliforms were found to be unsatisfactory at eight stations across four zones in 2022-23 and 11 stations across five zones in 2023-24.

The audit covered 512 non-suburban railway stations across all zones. It examined instances identified during the CAG's test audit between 2019-20 and 2023-24, along with earlier cases that had not been reported previously and, where necessary, instances from after 2023-24.

More than 89% of audited stations deficient

The CAG found that 458 of the 512 stations audited — more than 89 per cent — were deficient in providing Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA). At these stations, the amenities were either unavailable or provided below the prescribed norms.

The Railway Board had issued comprehensive instructions in April 2018 prescribing Minimum Essential Amenities, Recommended Amenities and Desirable Amenities for stations categorised as NSG-1 to NSG-6. It had directed that MEAs be provided at all stations by August 31, 2018.

These essential amenities include drinking water, waiting halls, seating arrangements, platform shelters, urinals, latrines, high-level platforms, fans, foot overbridges, dustbins, clocks and public address systems.

Even major NSG-1 stations, including CSMT, Howrah, Sealdah, New Delhi and Mumbai Central, were found deficient in amenities such as seating, sanitary facilities, dustbins and electronic train indicator boards.

At NSG-1 stations, the audit identified shortages in drinking water taps at 12 stations, fans and water coolers at eight stations each, and signage at five stations.

An analysis of the Passenger Amenities Management System further revealed a shortfall of latrines at 201 stations, urinals at 403 stations and water taps at 2,035 stations.

The CAG recommended that the Railways ensure compliance with prescribed protocols for inspecting water supply systems and conduct comprehensive testing of drinking water quality, covering all parameters under the Uniform Drinking Water Quality Protocol.

The report noted that Indian Railways has 5,908 non-suburban railway stations and operated more than 7,424 non-suburban passenger trains daily, carrying 292.4 crore non-suburban passengers in 2023-24.

E.coli

E. coli is a type of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of healthy humans and warm-blooded animals. While most strains are harmless, some can cause illnesses such as food poisoning, stomach cramps, diarrhoea and urinary tract infections.

(PTI)