Lok Sabha Question No. 3936 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-17
Subject: Cleanliness of Toilets and Wash Rooms in Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dibyendu Adhikari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3936 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.07.2019

## CLEANLINESS OF TOILETS AND WASH ROOMS IN RAILWAYS

## 3936.  SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  condition  of  toilets  and  wash  rooms  of  trains  and station areas in the country are not upto the mark and are not being  maintained  at  the  desired  level  of  cleanliness  as  part  of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan project;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reaction  of  the  Government thereto;
- (c) the number of complaints received in this regard during the last four years and the current year;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  studies  on  the conditions of toilets and wash rooms in the trains and at railway stations in the country;
- (e) if so, the details and the findings thereof and the follow up action taken thereon; and
- (f) whether the newly found e-technological solutions for toilets are effective and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

## (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a)  and  (b)  No,  Sir.  Maintenance  of  cleanliness  of  toilets  and  wash rooms  of  trains  and  station  areas  is  a  continuous  process  and  all efforts  are  being  made  to  improve  their  condition  and  cleanliness.

Some  of  the  major  initiatives  taken  by  Indian  Railways  towards improvement  in  condition  and  cleanliness  of  toilets  in  trains  and  at Railway stations are as follows:

- (i) Cleaning  of  coaches  including  toilets  of  trains  is  done  at  both ends including mechanized cleaning.
- (ii) On  Board  Housekeeping  Service  (OBHS)  has  been  provided  in nearly 1080 pairs of trains including Rajdhani, Shatabdi and other important long distance Mail/Express trains for cleaning of coach toilets, doorways, aisles and passenger compartments during the run of the trains.
- (iii) 'Coach Mitra' service has been provided in around 1040 pairs of OBHS  trains  as  a  single  window  interface  to  register  coach related requirements of passengers such as cleaning, disinfestation, linen, train lighting, air conditioning and watering of coaches.
- (iv) Clean Train Station  (CTS)  scheme has also  been  prescribed  for limited mechanized cleaning attention to identified trains including  cleaning  of  toilets  during  their  scheduled  stoppages enroute at nominated stations.
- (v) Indian Railways is proliferating bio-toilets on its coaching stock so  that  no  human  waste  is  discharged  from  coaches  on  to  the track.  Nearly  2,05,000  bio-toilets  have  been  fitted  on  around 56,700 coaches.
- (vi) Provision of dustbins with bio-toilets in coaches.
- (vii) Integrated  mechanised cleaning contracts at stations including cleaning of toilets.
- (viii) Separate toilets for men and women are provided as per norms at all  NSG-1,  NSG-2,  NSG-3,  NSG-4,  NSG-5,  NSG-6,  SG-1,  SG-2  and SG-3 category railway stations.

However,  upgradation  of  amenities  at  stations  including toilets  is  a  continuous  and  on-going  process  and  2894  toilets were constructed / improved in the past four years, and further, construction  /  improvement  works  in  this  regard  are  being undertaken depending upon need, volume of the passenger traffic and priority subject to availability of funds.

- (ix) Operation of public toilets, both deluxe and normal, with ladies and  gents  units,  is  also  being  done  through  Public  Private Partnership (PPP) model on 'Pay and Use' basis. Zonal Railways have  been  authorized  regarding  operation  and  maintenance, including  cleanliness  of  these  'Pay  and  Use'  toilets  through contracts.
- (x) Special Cleanliness Campaign under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched  on  Indian  Railways  on  2 nd   October,  2014.  Regular intensive  campaigns  /  awareness  drives  have  been  organised since  then  over  the  Indian  Railways  with  the  sole  objective  to achieve significant and sustainable improvements in cleanliness standards of railway stations and trains.
- (xi) Regular checks are conducted at officers and supervisors levels, and  corrective action is taken wherever  any  deficiency is noticed.
- (xii) Enforcement of Indian Railway (Penalties for activities affecting cleanliness at railway premises) Rules, 2012.
- (c) Complaints/Grievances are registered under the heads 'Cleanliness at Stations' and 'Cleanliness in Coaches' which include cleanliness of toilets. Separate data on 'Cleanliness of toilets/washrooms at stations and in coaches' is not maintained. The details are appended.

(d)  and  (e)  Railways  had  conducted  last  third  party  survey  regarding cleanliness  at  407  major  Railway  Stations  in  the  country  including cleanliness of toilets in 2018.  A third party train cleanliness survey on 209  pairs  of  trains  was  also  carried  out  in  2018  to  assess  the Swachhata parameters of the running trains including cleanliness of toilets. The details of these surveys are available under Swachh  Rail  Swachh  Bharat  -  2018  -  Train  Cleanliness  Survey,  and Station Cleanliness Ranking Report - 2018 on Indian Railways website at  http://www.indianrailways.gov.in  ->Ministry  of  Railways  ->  Railway Board -> About Indian Railways -> Corporate Overview -> Directorates > Environment Management. These Reports have been shared with zonal railways for necessary improvements. (f)  Production  Units  (PUs)  have  been  advised  to  fit  vacuum  assisted flushing  system  along  with  Bio  -  toilets  in  all  newly  manufactured

Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) AC coaches.

Vacuum flushing system toilet substantially reduces the requirement  of  water  for  flushing,  while  ensuring  effective  /  proper flushing  of  faecal  matter  from  the  pans.  Hence,  it  ensures  proper flushing with less water.

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APPENDIX  REFFERED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3936 BY SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 17.07.2019 REGARDING CLEANLINESS OF TOILETS AND WASH ROOMS IN RAILWAYS (c) Complaints received on cleanliness:

Complaints received on Cleanliness through Complaint Management System (COMS) :

| Financial Year              |   Cleanliness at station |   Cleanliness at coaches |
|-----------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| 2015-16                     |                      939 |                    11036 |
| 2016-17                     |                     2403 |                    21584 |
| 2017-18                     |                     2318 |                    25363 |
| 2018-19                     |                     2139 |                    32182 |
| 2019-20 (Upto 30 June 2019) |                      679 |                    10458 |
| Total                       |                     8478 |                   100623 |

Complaints received on Cleanliness through Centralized Public Grievance Redress And Monitoring System (CPGRAMS):

| Financial Year              |   Cleanliness at station |   Cleanliness at coaches |
|-----------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| 2015-16                     |                      100 |                      211 |
| 2016-17                     |                      584 |                      635 |
| 2017-18                     |                      262 |                      400 |
| 2018-19                     |                      314 |                      498 |
| 2019-20 (Upto 30 June 2019) |                      136 |                      126 |
| Total                       |                     1396 |                     1870 |

Complaints received on Cleanliness through Social Media:

| Financial Year              |   Cleanliness at station |   Cleanliness at coaches |
|-----------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| 2016-17                     |                     1543 |                     7270 |
| 2017-18                     |                     2881 |                    20262 |
| 2018-19                     |                     2490 |                    31127 |
| 2019-20 (Upto 30 June 2019) |                      749 |                     9987 |
| Total                       |                     7663 |                    68646 |

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