Parliament Question: Measures to improve cleanliness in trains

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 302 ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026 MEASURES TO IMPROVE CLEANLINESS IN TRAINS *302 SHRI TIRUCHI SIVA: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has taken cognizance of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report stating 40 per cent of passengers are dissatisfied with toilet cleanliness in railways and more than half with on-board housekeeping services; (b) if so, the steps being taken to improve toilet cleanliness and on-board housekeeping services; and (c) the details of complaints received regarding cleanliness in the 'Rail Madad' app in the last three years, year-wise and the subsequent action taken? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. ***** §STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.302 BY SHRI TIRUCHI SIVA ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 20.03.2026 REGARDING MEASURES TO IMPROVE CLEANLINESS IN TRAINS (a) to (c): Cleanliness is a continuous process and Indian Railways (IR) makes every endeavour to keep coaches including toilets in properly maintained and clean condition. IR has taken several measures as follows to monitor and ensure cleanliness and hygiene in coaches including toilets and improved on- board housekeeping:  Mechanized Coach Cleaning is being ensured during primary maintenance for better cleaning of the coach including interior, exterior and toilets.  On-Board Housekeeping Service is being provided to ensure cleanliness on run and to attend to any passenger grievance. As part of the ongoing effort to strengthen on-board services, a policy decision has been taken to engage professional, technology-enabled and financially sound service providers with the objective to ensure sustained improvement in cleanliness, hygiene, linen management and passenger interface.  Clean Train Station service has been introduced for mechanized cleaning in identified trains 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 February 2026 3,66,250 Regular monitoring for cleanliness is done through checks/inspections and complaints/feedback received through Rail Madad/RailOne app and other passenger interfaces. On an average about 1.1 complaints per 100 coaches per day are received on Railmadad App regarding cleanliness. In case of deficiencies, penalty is imposed on service providers as per contract conditions for every passenger complaint received on Railmadad App. ***** §