A recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has flagged deficiencies in basic passenger amenities, including drinking water taps, fans and signage, at Ludhiana junction, a finding disputed by railway authorities who said all seven platforms meet the prescribed requirement for drinking water taps.
The report, titled ‘Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Passenger Amenities and Sanitation at Non-Suburban Railway Stations in Indian Railways’, was tabled in the Lok Sabha on August 4. It flagged deficiencies in minimum essential amenities at several major non-suburban grade (NSG-2) stations.
According to the report, drinking water taps were deficient at 19 stations and water coolers at 22, while 22 stations had a shortage of fans and 18 had inadequate signage. The CAG said the shortfalls in these basic facilities affected passenger comfort and convenience.
At Ludhiana Junction, passengers also raised concerns over the cleanliness and upkeep of existing drinking water points and coolers, saying they often prefer carrying their own water or buying packaged drinking water.
“I am a regular passenger at the station. I travel to Jalandhar or Chandigarh every week, but I never trust the tap water here. The surroundings of the coolers and drinking points are not clean. I prefer carrying a water bottle or buying packaged water instead,” said Atul Mongia, a frequent passenger.
{{/usCountry}}“I am a regular passenger at the station. I travel to Jalandhar or Chandigarh every week, but I never trust the tap water here. The surroundings of the coolers and drinking points are not clean. I prefer carrying a water bottle or buying packaged water instead,” said Atul Mongia, a frequent passenger.
{{/usCountry}}Neelam Kumari, another frequent traveller and migrant labourer, said buying packaged water could be an additional burden for passengers who have to spend long hours at the station, particularly when trains are delayed.
“For some people, spending ₹20 on a bottle may not be an issue, but there are also poor labourers travelling from this station who sometimes have to wait for hours when trains are delayed. What about patients?” she said.
Railway authorities, however, disputed the CAG’s observation regarding the shortage of drinking water taps at Ludhiana junction.
Ajay Pal Singh, commercial management inspector at the station, said, “The prescribed norms require at least 20 drinking water taps on each platform and all seven platforms at the junction have at least 20 taps.”