Western Railway Turns To Nano Coating To Tackle Gutkha Stains At High-Footfall Stations After 12,265 Spitting Cases

Mumbai: Western Railway is expanding the use of a special anti-stain nano coating at stations with high passenger footfall and areas prone to paan and gutkha stains, following a pilot project at Matunga Road. The coating has already been applied at Dadar and Mumbai Central, while Khar is among the stations identified for the next phase, given its passenger movement and frequent VIP visits. The initiative comes as Western Railway recorded 12,265 cases of spitting and creating unhygienic conditions across 34 suburban stations between April and July this year.

The German nano-technology-based treatment is aimed at preventing gutkha and paan stains from penetrating walls, pillars and other station surfaces. Products called ‘Wallguard’ and ‘Metalguard’ are being used on walls, ceilings, lifts and metal surfaces. According to railway officials, apart from resisting stains and graffiti, the coating protects surfaces against rust, weather conditions and regular wear.

The pilot project was carried out at Matunga Road at a cost of around Rs 5 lakh. Based on its performance, Western Railway began extending the treatment to other busy stations. Officials said the technology could bring down the time required to clean stubborn paan and gutkha stains from around 30 minutes to nearly five minutes, as the stains do not penetrate deep into coated surfaces. The coating is also expected to last for around five years, potentially reducing expenditure on repeated cleaning and repainting.

The expansion comes alongside a sustained enforcement drive against spitting and littering. Between April 1 and July 31, 2026, Western Railway registered 12,265 cases across 34 stations on the Churchgate-Virar suburban corridor and collected Rs 27.18 lakh in fines.

Virar topped the list with 1,242 cases and Rs 4.31 lakh in fines, followed by Borivali with 1,016 cases and Rs 2.09 lakh. Dadar recorded 806 cases, Andheri 756 and Churchgate 485.

For Western Railway, officials said, the strategy is not to depend on technology alone. Fines, passenger awareness and regular cleaning will continue alongside the anti-stain treatment, particularly at busy stations where heavy footfall makes maintaining walls, staircases and other public areas a daily challenge.

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