The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged gaps in basic passenger facilities at several major railway stations such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Howrah, and Sealdah. These include lapses in drinking water, fans, toilets and other essential facilities.In its recent report, titled ‘Passenger Amenities and Sanitation at Non-Suburban Railway Stations in Indian Railways’, the CAG examined passenger facilities at railway stations and found several gaps in their availability and maintenance. The audit was conducted for the period 2019-20 to 2023-24.“Audit of passenger amenities and sanitation at railway stations revealed persistent and widespread deficiencies across Indian Railways, despite detailed norms and timelines prescribed by the Railway Board since 1952 and reiterated comprehensively in April 2018,” it said.At Non-Suburban Group-1 (NSG-1) category stations (earnings exceeding Rs 500 crore and/or outward passengers exceeding 20 million), the audit found that drinking water taps were deficient at 12 stations, while fans and water coolers were deficient at eight stations each. Signage was also found lacking at five stations.Also Read | E. coli bacteria found in drinking water at railway stations, CAG flags violation of normsThe audit also found gaps in seating arrangements, toilets, dustbins and electronic train indicator boards at some stations. These included major terminals such as CSMT (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus), Howrah, Sealdah, New Delhi and Mumbai Central, pointing to problems in the maintenance and monitoring of basic passenger facilities.“Audit scrutiny of NSG-1 category stations revealed deficiencies in core passenger amenities, including drinking water taps (12 stations), fans and water coolers (eight stations each) and signage (five stations). Shortfalls were also observed in seating arrangements, sanitary facilities (urinals and latrines), dustbins, and electronic train indicator boards at select stations, including major terminals such as CSMT, Howrah, Sealdah, New Delhi and Mumbai Central, indicating gaps in maintenance and monitoring of essential facilities at these premier stations,” the report said.The report also found that 18 selected NSG-1 category stations had no gaps in seven basic facilities. These included waiting halls, platform shelters, high-level platforms, foot overbridges, clocks, public announcement systems and parking-cum-circulatory areas.Story continues below this adHowever, the audit found deficiencies in the remaining nine basic facilities at 17 of these 18 stations, showing that gaps still existed in several essential passenger amenities.The CAG report also highlighted that, according to Railway Board (RB) instructions issued in April 2018, basic passenger facilities should be provided at all railway stations, regardless of their category.These Minimum Essential Amenities (MEAs) include drinking water, waiting halls, seating, platform shelters, urinals, latrines, high-level platforms, fans, foot overbridges (FOBs), dustbins, clocks and public announcement systems.“In April 2018, RB issued comprehensive instructions prescribing Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA), Recommended Amenities (RA) and Desirable Amenities (DA) for stations categorised as NSG 1 to NSG 6. RB stipulated that MEAs were to be ensured at all stations by 31 August 2018, with augmentation to recommended and desirable levels hereafter. Based on rules/ notifications etc,” it said.Story continues below this adOver 89% of surveyed railway stations lacked basic passenger amenitiesThe CAG found that only 54 of the 512 stations surveyed (less than 11 per cent) had no shortfall in the prescribed basic passenger amenities. These stations were spread across 13 Railway Zones.“Thus, 458 out of the 512 selected stations, accounting for more than 89 per cent, were deficient in the provision of MEAs. At these 458 stations, MEAs were either not provided at all or were available below the prescribed norms, indicating widespread non-compliance with mandatory requirements and systemic gaps in ensuring minimum standards of passenger facilities at stations of IR,” the report reads.CAG seeks time-bound action to improve passenger facilitiesThe CAG also found that delays in passenger amenity works meant essential facilities were not available to passengers on time, affecting their convenience and services. It recommended that Indian Railways meet the prescribed standards for basic amenities within fixed timelines and prepare station-wise, time-bound plans to address gaps in other recommended and desirable facilities.