E coli in water, no toilets, no dustbins: CAG flags basics missing at Delhi

E coli bacteria, usually found in human excreta, has been found in drinking water samples picked up from water coolers at several railway stations, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General has said. People walk under a monsoon sky outside the New Delhi.

Strains of E coli bacteria can lead to food poisoning, diarrhoea and kidney failure. This grading system directly dictates the scale and budget of facilities, such as waiting halls, lifts, escalators, and catering services, provided at each station.

What Happened

But, it found, even stations like Mumbai Central, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Kolkata-adjacent Howrah and Sealdah, and even New Delhi, which all come under the NSG-1 category, deficient in seating arrangements, sanitary facilities, dustbins and electronic indicator boards, among others..

• The audit found that 458 out of the 512 selected stations, around 90%, were deficient in the provision of what's described as Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA).

• In April 2018, the Railway Board issued comprehensive instructions prescribing Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA), Recommended Amenities (RA) and Desirable Amenities (DA) for stations categorised as NSG 1 to NSG 6.

• For instance, at the top tier, NSG-1 stations represent mega-hubs that generate over ₹500 crore in annual passenger earnings and handle more than 2 crore passengers.

Key Details

RB's instructions (April 2018) mandated that MEAs be provided first at all stations, irrespective of category.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by Hindustan Times as more details emerge