Railways orders 'Tank to Tap' filters after CAG flags E. coli in station water
NEW DELHI: The railway ministry on Sunday ordered a series of corrective measures to ensure safe drinking water at railway stations across the country, days after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) flagged the presence of E. coli bacteria in water samples from station coolers.
Following a full-day review led by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and senior officials, the ministry directed the installation of a "Tank to Tap" water filtration system at stations. According to an official statement, water coolers with comprehensive filtration and monitoring systems will be installed at 20,000 locations across the network. The ministry also ordered the replacement of water tanks and strict compliance with water testing, accountability, and scheduled cleaning procedures.
"This is a top priority area and will be monitored directly at the Board level. Progress and water quality reports will be published periodically to ensure transparency," the ministry said. It added that the action is part of a larger effort to address all CAG observations and improve the overall travel experience.
The CAG, in its recent performance audit of passenger services at 512 non-suburban grade railway stations across all zones, found that water samples from coolers tested positive for E. coli at eight stations. The contaminated stations include Coimbatore and Palakkad Junctions in Southern Railway, Hyderabad in South Central Railway, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan and Lonavala in Central Railway, and Madhupur in Eastern Railway, according to the report.
The audit further revealed that 458 of the 512 stations surveyed — more than 89% — were deficient in providing Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA). At these stations, MEAs were either not provided or were available below the prescribed norms. The Railway Board had issued comprehensive instructions in April 2018 prescribing MEAs, Recommended Amenities (RA), and Desirable Amenities (DA) for stations categorised as NSG 1 to NSG 6, with a directive that MEAs be ensured by August 31, 2018.
Among its key recommendations, the CAG urged the railways to "ensure compliance with prescribed protocols for inspection of water supply systems and comprehensive testing of drinking water quality, including all parameters under the Uniform Drinking Water Quality Protocol."
The ministry's directive is seen as a direct response to these findings, with the focus on upgradation of water infrastructure at stations. The installation of the Tank to Tap filtration system is expected to cover a significant portion of the railway network, ensuring that passengers have access to safe drinking water. The ministry has said that progress reports will be published periodically, allowing public scrutiny of the quality of water being provided at stations.
The CAG's findings are significant given the high volume of daily passengers using Indian Railways. Safe drinking water is a basic requirement for travellers, and the presence of E. coli — a bacterium that can cause gastrointestinal illness — raises public health concerns. The audit also noted deficiencies in other amenities, highlighting systemic lapses in maintenance and supervision at stations.
Railway officials said the corrective measures would be implemented in phases, with priority given to stations reporting contamination. The ministry has also directed zonal railways to carry out immediate cleaning and disinfection of existing water tanks and coolers. Officials added that regular water quality testing would be conducted by independent laboratories, and results would be made available to the public.
