Railway Board Raises Serious Concerns Over Poor Facilities In Military Special Trains Including No Water And Broken ACs

Mumbai: A source in the railway administration said the Railway Board has raised serious concerns over poor facilities being provided to defence personnel travelling in Military Special (Mily Spl) trains. The communication flagged repeated complaints of coaches running without water, malfunctioning AC systems, poor maintenance of defence coaches and non-functional ovens in military langar coaches, stating that the lapses caused avoidable hardship to troops during their journey.

Specific Lapses During Journeys

According to the source, defence authorities informed the Railway Board that several military coaches were running without water supply for over 400 km during journeys. Troops also faced issues such as non-functional air-conditioning systems, poor upkeep of defence coaches and defective ovens in military langar coaches used for preparing food during long-distance travel. The Board noted that despite repeated memos sent by train officers to local railway authorities during the journey, watering facilities were not provided at many locations.

The Railway Board reportedly reminded officials that existing guidelines mandate watering arrangements every 200–250 km for such trains. However, the repeated failures caused “avoidable hardship” to armed forces personnel travelling across railway zones. The communication has now directed all concerned officials to treat the matter with utmost seriousness.

Directions to Ensure Water Supply and Route Approvals

As per the directions issued, railway authorities have been told to ensure adequate water supply in military special trains whenever required. Officials have also been instructed that route approvals for such trains should only be granted through sections where watering facilities are available, while considering operational feasibility and safety.

Further, railway staff conducting TXR (Train Examination) checks have been directed to ensure all electrical equipment, including AC systems, are functioning properly before trains begin their journey.

The issue assumes significance as Military Special trains are regularly used for large-scale troop movement across the country. The lapses highlighted by the Railway Board have raised concerns over the quality of essential services being provided to defence personnel despite existing operational guidelines.

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