Drinking water facilities at railway stations under the South East Central Railway (SECR) zone have come under scrutiny after a CAG assessment found significant deficiencies in water quality and other passenger amenities. The Comptroller and Auditor General examined selected facilities at 512 stations across 16 railway zones. In the assessment of drinking water arrangements, SECR recorded a deficiency score of 93.35, the highest among the zones covered, indicating more shortcomings against the prescribed standards.

The report found that water samples at some railway stations contained E. coli and total coliform bacteria. The presence of E. coli can indicate contamination from faecal matter or sewage and raises concerns about the safety of drinking water supplied to passengers. The assessment also looked at chlorine levels and other aspects of the water supply system. At some locations, chlorine levels were reportedly found to be either below or above the prescribed limits.

The findings are important for passengers using stations across the Bilaspur railway zone, particularly because drinking water is one of the basic facilities expected to be available at railway stations. Contaminated water can increase the risk of water-borne illnesses, including diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal infections. What exactly caused the contamination at individual stations would depend on the local water source, storage and distribution arrangements, and the report’s findings point to the need for closer monitoring.

CAG prepared deficiency scores to compare the condition of passenger facilities across the 16 railway zones. A lower score indicates fewer deficiencies, while a higher score reflects greater gaps against the prescribed standards. South Central Railway recorded the lowest deficiency score for drinking water at 17.53, while SECR’s score of 93.35 placed it at the bottom of this particular assessment.

The overall picture, however, was not negative for SECR. The zone performed relatively well in facilities for passengers with disabilities and ranked second among the 16 zones in that category. Its deficiency score for facilities for persons with disabilities was 20.97. The assessment therefore showed a mixed picture, with some passenger facilities performing better while drinking water and other basic amenities remained areas of concern.

The CAG assessment covered selected stations and examined drinking water availability, quality and related arrangements along with minimum passenger facilities. The exercise was aimed at checking whether the facilities being provided at railway stations matched the prescribed standards. The findings have put renewed focus on the condition of basic passenger services at stations in the Bilaspur zone.

Following the report, railway authorities have said that steps are being planned to improve the drinking water arrangements. SECR Chief Public Relations Officer Sheikh Sami Ur Rahman said the Railway Minister was reviewing the CAG findings and that an action plan was being prepared for improving water facilities at stations in the Bilaspur zone.

The proposed measures include installing additional water coolers and tank-to-tap water filtration systems. Authorities have also indicated that cleaning and maintenance of water tanks will be carried out regularly, along with continued testing of water quality. The effectiveness of these measures will depend on how consistently they are implemented across stations.

For passengers, the immediate concern remains access to safe drinking water. The CAG findings have highlighted gaps that railway authorities will now have to address, particularly at stations where water quality did not meet the required standards.