Other1 min read

Indian Railways steps up cleanliness checks on trains with journey of over 40 hours

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Under the heightened supervision plan, 11 specific long-distance services, including the Vivek Express, Jhelum Express, and Avadh Assam Express, will undergo mandatory photographic audits at origin, destination, and key inspection stops. Housekeeping personnel are receiving specialized training to handle minor on-board repairs, while dedicated teams of plumbers and electricians may be deployed en route to fix emerging mechanical issues. In addition, contractor efficiency will be measured directly against passenger grievances submitted via the Rail Madad digital portal. Broader institutional waste reforms are also underway to systematically segregate, collect, and process train and station r…

Key points

  • On-board housekeeping staff are being trained to perform minor repairs, supported by mobi…: On-board housekeeping staff are being trained to perform minor repairs, supported by mobile maintenance teams of plumbers and electricians.
  • Zonal railway officials and responsible depots are instructed to conduct weekly reviews o…: Zonal railway officials and responsible depots are instructed to conduct weekly reviews of maintenance metrics and passenger complaints.
  • Environment and Housekeeping Management wings are implementing systematic waste segregati…: Environment and Housekeeping Management wings are implementing systematic waste segregation and auditing protocols to comply with Solid Waste Management Rules.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Long-distance train journeys can sometimes be cumbersome especially on account of cleanliness in trains. The Railway Board has recently prepared a plan to tighten supervision and intensify cleanliness measures on long-distance trains that take more than 40 hours to complete their journeys.

Officials have said that 11 trains have been selected under the initiative, with staff required to take photographs of coaches and toilets bearing time stamps at the starting station, destination and specified inspection points along the route.

Long-distance trains in focus

The depots responsible for these trains will closely track cleanliness and maintenance, while zonal railway officials will review passenger complaints and the action taken to resolve them every week, they said.

The performance of agencies providing on-board housekeeping services will also be evaluated based on complaints lodged through Rail Madad, the Railways' official digital platform.

"The on-board housekeeping staff in these trains will be trained to take up small repairs. Dedicated teams comprising plumbers, electrical staff and other requisite maintenance personnel may be deployed en route these trains to speedily address concerns," a senior official recently told…

Other