Now Reading: 89% of audited railway stations lack basic amenities: CAG
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89% of audited railway stations lack basic amenities: CAG
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has found that 458 of 512 audited railway stations, nearly 89%, are deficient in basic amenities such as fans, water coolers, drinking water taps, urinals, seating,…
The Story in Brief
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has found that 458 of 512 audited railway stations, nearly 89%, are deficient in basic amenities such as fans, water coolers, drinking water taps, urinals, seating, platform shelters, latrines and clocks. Only 54 stations (11%) had no shortfalls. The audit, covering non-suburban stations across 16 zones, included major terminals like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Howrah, New Delhi and Mumbai Central.
The CAG noted that similar deficiencies had been flagged in 2007, 2013 and 2016. It attributed the persistent gaps to weak monitoring, absence of time-bound action plans and poor fund utilisation, budget grants for amenities were underspent by 36-44% annually between 2019-20 and 2023-24. Separately, bacteriological contamination, including E. coli, was found in drinking water at eight stations in 2022-23 and 11 stations in 2023-24, according to the report.
The Indian Opinion
This CAG report exposes two lazy narratives. One is that Indian Railways' modernisation push, the Amrit Bharat scheme, has solved passenger woes. The audit shows even NSG-1 terminals like Howrah and New Delhi fail on basics like drinking water and clean toilets. The other is that the problem is only about money: the Railways underspent 36-44% of its amenity budget year after year. The real question is not how many stations get a shiny new facade, but whether Railway Board circulars, like the 2018 directive on minimum amenities, ever reach the platform level.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, ndtv.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
