Lok Sabha Question No. 3508 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-08
Subject: Rail Neer
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: VIKRAM USENDI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3508 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2018

## RAIL NEER

†3508. SHRI VIKRAM USENDI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any decision to ensure supply of Rail Neer at all major railway stations and trains;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  cognizance  of  the  sale  of local  brands  and  sub-standard  bottled  water  at  most  of  the railway stations and trains;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  action  taken  by  the Government in this regard;
- (e) whether  there  is  likelihood  of  supply  of  Rail  Neer  being  made mandatory by the Government and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (f) the steps taken by the Government to make available either safe drinking water or Rail Neer at all railway stations?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (e): At present Rail Neer is mandatorily supplied to passengers of Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duranto/Gatiman/Tejas/ Vistadome/ and  other  premium  trains.  There  is  also  mandatory  supply  of  Rail Neer  in  281  pairs  of  trains  and  at  more  than  235  stations  as identified by Ministry of Railways from  05  Rail Neer Plants owned by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) located at Nangloi (Delhi), Danapur  (near Patna), Palur (near Chennai) Ambernath (near Mumbai), Bilaspur (Chhatisgarh),  and  02 plants under Public-Private Partnership mode (PPP) at Amethi(Uttar Pradesh) and Parassala (near Trivandrum).

At present,  Indian Railway  Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)  is  able  to  produce  22  crore  bottles  of  Rail  Neer  annually from the 07 existing operational plants which covers 37 percent  of requirement of Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) over Indian Railways.  However,  with  the  commissioning  of  11  more  plants, which is in pipe line, the coverage of Rail Neer Packaged Drinking Water (PDW)  on Indian Railways will increase to 85 percent.

To  cover  the  gap  between  supply  and  demand,  Zonal  Railways have  been  delegated  powers  to  short  list  and  empanel  Bureau  of Indian Standards(BIS) approved PDW brands of private companies to meet the demand of drinking water on stations and trains.

As only Rail Neer or other shortlisted BIS approved PDW brands of the empanelled private companies have been permitted for supply/sale on mobile units and at Railway stations through authorised static units, there has hardly been any complaint across Zonal  Railways  with  regard  to  quality  of  the  BIS  approved  PDW supplied to passengers. However, whenever complaints of unauthorised supply/sale of inferior quality of  non approved brands of  PDW  are  received,    suitable  action,  including  imposition  of monetary  fines  is  taken  as  per  rules  against  defaulting  licensees depending on the gravity of the lapses. (f):  Indian  Railway  Catering  and  Tourism  Corporation  (IRCTC)  has installed approximately 1850 Water Vending Machines at 672 stations across the Indian Railway network  for dispensing drinking water to passengers at affordable prices i.e 300 ml @ ` 1/- and 1 litre @ ` 5/-. All Railway stations have provision of  potable drinking water on platforms    to  meet  the    needs  of  rail  passengers,  free  of  cost.  On most of the important stations, water cooler and chiller plants are also  in  operation  for  providing  cool  drinking  water  to  passengers during summer season.

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