**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Starred Question No. 79 in Lok Sabha, scheduled for February 4, 2026, regarding the cleanliness of washrooms in trains. It details the measures taken by the Indian Railways to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in passenger train coaches, including cleaning frequency, staffing, and monitoring protocols. It also states that there is no component of passenger fare charged for cleanliness.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Cleanliness Measures:**
* Indian Railways prioritizes the cleanliness of coaches, including washrooms.
* Mechanized Coach Cleaning is implemented during primary maintenance for comprehensive cleaning.
* On-Board Housekeeping Staff Service is available to ensure cleanliness during journeys and address passenger grievances.
* Clean Train Station service provides mechanized cleaning in identified trains during scheduled stoppages.
* All passenger coaches are equipped with bio-toilets to prevent waste discharge on tracks.
* **Implementation of Bio-Toilets:**
* From 2004-2014, 9,587 bio-toilets were fitted.
* From 2014-till date, 3,61,572 bio-toilets were fitted.
* **Monitoring and Funding:**
* Regular monitoring is conducted through inspections and passenger feedback via Rail Madad/RailOne app.
* Indian Railways has dedicated budgetary provisions for cleanliness and hygiene.
* Passenger fares do not include any component for cleanliness.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Passengers**
* **Impact:** Passengers benefit from improved cleanliness and hygiene in train washrooms and coaches. The On-Board Housekeeping Staff Service ensures cleanliness during journeys and addresses passenger grievances.
* **Action Required:** Provide feedback through Rail Madad/RailOne app and other passenger interfaces.
**Stakeholder: Indian Railways (IR)**
* **Impact:** IR is responsible for implementing and monitoring cleanliness measures in trains and at stations, and allocating budget accordingly.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement cleanliness measures, monitor their effectiveness, and allocate sufficient budgetary resources.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The primary government body responsible for railway operations and policy.
Indian Railways (IR): The state-owned railway company responsible for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in coaches and stations.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the starred question was raised.
Rail Madad/RailOne app: A platform for passengers to provide feedback and raise concerns related to railway services, including cleanliness.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 79
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026
CLEANLINESS OF WASHROOMS IN TRAIN
*79. SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the current measures in place to ensure cleanliness and hygiene of
washrooms in passenger train coaches including cleaning frequency,
staffing arrangements, contractual mechanisms and monitoring
protocols;
(b) whether the Government has conducted any inspection, audit, passenger
feedback analysis/internal assessment during the last five years to
evaluate the effectiveness of these measures and if so, the key findings
thereof;
(c) the details of infrastructure/design changes last undertaken in normal
Express and Mail coaches specifically to improve washroom hygiene and
usability;
(d) whether the Government has examined alternative operational staffing
models including deployment of dedicated on-board washroom cleaning
personnel during journeys to improve washroom cleanliness and if so, the
details thereof; and
(e) whether the feasibility of funding such measures through a minimal,
class-wise passenger fare adjustment has been examined and if so, the
outcome of such examination?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF STARRED
QUESTION NO.79 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026 IN LOK SABHA
(a) to (e): Cleanliness is a continuous process and Indian Railways (IR)
makes every endeavour to keep coaches in properly maintained and clean
condition. Railways have taken several measures as follows to monitor and
ensure cleanliness and hygiene in coaches including washrooms:
Mechanized Coach Cleaning is being ensured during primary
maintenance for better cleaning of the coach including interior,
exterior and toilets.
On-Board Housekeeping Staff Service is being provided to ensure
cleanliness on run and to attend to any passenger grievance.
Clean Train Station service has been introduced for mechanized
cleaning in identified trains including washrooms during their
scheduled stoppage enroute. Dedicated team of staff equipped
with high pressure jet machines and cleaning equipment carries
out cleaning followed by drying of coach toilets.
All passenger coaches have been installed with bio-toilets so that
no human waste is discharged from coaches on the track
resulting in improved cleanliness level. The details of provision of
bio toilets are as under:
Period Number of Bio-Toilet fitted
2004-2014 9,587
2014-till date 3,61,572
Regular monitoring is done through inspections, and feedback
received through Rail Madad/RailOne app and other passenger
interfaces.
IR has dedicated budgetary provisions for maintaining cleanliness & hygiene
at stations and trains. No component of passenger fare is charged on
account of providing cleanliness.
*****