4 min learnUp to date: Aug 16, 2026 12:53 PM IST
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged violations of water high quality norms after E. coli micro organism was present in water samples collected from water coolers at a number of railway stations. The findings have raised issues about water high quality and passenger security.
In a current report titled ‘Passenger Facilities and Sanitation at Non-Suburban Railway Stations in Indian Railways’, the CAG stated E. coli micro organism was detected in ingesting water samples collected from eight railway stations out of 49 stations, together with a number of Mumbai native stations. Different stations had been the pattern found the contamination had been these in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand.
“Inspection of the water provide methods was not carried out as per prescribed periodicity. There was shortfall in testing of ingesting water for residual chlorine, bacteriological evaluation and chemical evaluation. Low/excessive stage of chlorine in ingesting water, presence of whole coliforms micro organism (together with E-coli micro organism) in addition to deficiencies in parameters examined indicated unsatisfactory high quality of ingesting water at stations. Assessments prescribed within the ‘Uniform Ingesting Water High quality protocol’ weren’t carried out for a number of parameters,” the report stated.
E. coli present in ingesting water at 8 railway stations
The CAG report discovered E. coli in water cooler samples at eight railway stations. These included Coimbatore and Palakkad Junction in Southern Railway, Hyderabad in South Central Railway, 4 stations in Central Railway – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bhiwandi Highway, Kalyan and Lonavala – and Madhupur in Japanese Railway.
Ingesting water exams discovered missing at a number of railway stations
The audit additionally discovered whole coliform micro organism, together with E. coli, in ingesting water samples collected from platform faucets at 49 stations throughout eight railway zones in 2022-23 and 56 stations throughout 9 zones in 2023-24.
Additional, bacteriological exams aside from whole coliforms had been discovered to be unsatisfactory at eight stations throughout 4 zones in 2022-23 and 11 stations throughout 5 zones in 2023-24.
The auditor additionally discovered that chemical testing of ingesting water was not performed by Well being Inspectors at 179 stations throughout 11 railway zones. At one other 77 stations in six zones, the exams weren’t carried out as often as required. As per the prescribed guidelines, ingesting water ought to be examined twice a 12 months.
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CAG requires stricter ingesting water checks
The CAG stated the Ministry of Railways, in its reply in September 2025, said that motion had been initiated primarily based on the audit findings. The motion pertains to shortcomings within the frequency of ingesting water exams and unsatisfactory check outcomes.
“Nevertheless, the truth that unsatisfactory check outcomes had been reported at totally different places on a number of events signifies that Railways must work out a more practical system to make sure provision of protected ingesting water to passengers in any respect railway stations,” it stated.
The auditor additionally famous that regardless of important spending on station cleansing, sanitation remained insufficient at a number of railway stations.
CAG suggestions
The CAG beneficial that Indian Railways strictly observe the prescribed protocols for inspecting water provide methods and testing ingesting water high quality. It additionally referred to as for complete testing masking all parameters beneath the Uniform Ingesting Water High quality Protocol.
