CAG flags shortage of drinking water, fans, toilets at New Delhi, Mumbai, Howrah, other key stations

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that several major Indian railway stations, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Howrah, and Sealdah, are severely lacking in basic passenger amenities such as drinking water, fans, toilets, and signage. The audit, conducted for the period 2019-20 to 2023-24, found that at Non-Suburban Group-1 (NSG-1) category stations, where earnings exceed Rs 500 crore and/or outward passengers exceed 20 million, there were deficiencies in drinking water taps, fans, water coolers, signage, and other crucial facilities.

Despite clear norms and timelines set by the Railway Board since 1952 and reiterated in 2018, these deficiencies persist. Only 54 out of 512 surveyed stations met the minimum requirements for basic amenities, indicating widespread non-compliance and systemic failures in maintaining essential passenger facilities.