28 Central Railway Stations Without Water Testing Kits, CAG Flags Monitoring Gap

Mumbai:   Central Railway's water quality monitoring system has come under scrutiny after the CAG found that 28 of its stations did not have the testing kits required to check drinking water quality. The audit finding assumes greater significance as water samples from four Central Railway stations CSMT, Kalyan, Bhiwandi Road and Lonavala tested positive for E-Coli bacteria.

According to the CAG report, Railway Board guidelines require water supply systems at stations to be tested at least twice a year using multi-parameter field testing kits. However, the required kits were unavailable at 436 stations across 15 railway zones, including 28 stations under Central Railway. The shortage raises questions over how regularly water supplied to passengers at these stations can be tested as prescribed.

The findings are particularly significant for Mumbai, where major stations handle thousands of passengers every day. CSMT, an NSG-1 category station, was among the stations where the water sample tested positive for E-Coli. The bacteria is generally associated with faecal contamination, and some strains can cause diarrhoea, food poisoning and other serious health problems.

The CAG's findings also point to wider gaps in passenger amenities. Of the 512 stations inspected across the country, 458 were found lacking one or more basic passenger facilities as per prescribed norms. These included drinking water, waiting rooms, seating arrangements, platform shelters, toilets, fans, foot-over bridges, dustbins and public announcement systems.

The audit has recommended that the Railways ensure regular testing of water supply systems and comprehensive examination of drinking water as per prescribed protocols. For Central Railway, the findings put the focus on whether the 28 stations without testing kits are being adequately monitored and whether corrective measures are being taken to ensure passengers have access to safe drinking water.

CR acts on drinking water quality

Following the CAG report on drinking water quality, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, CRB & CEO and senior officials conducted a day-long review. Railways will install “Tank to Tap” filtration and monitoring systems at around 20,000 locations, replace water tanks and enforce regular quality testing, cleaning and maintenance. Progress will be monitored directly by the Railway Board.

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