JOIN USThe Railways will expand its on-board housekeeping scheme (OBHS) to 535 trains.
In its drive to keeps trains and stations clean, it has asked its zonal heads to file weekly and monthly reports to the Railway Board on the state of cleanliness in their respective zones. Now, on-board housekeeping scheme is in operation on all Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duranto and other important long distance trains. Railways is implementing the scheme through private agencies which have mechanized much of the cleaning activities. Heavy duty machines such as high pressure jet cleaners, floor scrubbers, vacuum suction cleaners are deployed to clean coaches.
Trains with OBHS can use cleaning facilities at select stations dubbed “Clean Train Stations”. Activities are mainly focused on cleaning and disinfecting toilets, doorways and aisles. The Railway Board has identified about 30 clean train stations, 28 of which have already been commissioned.
About 54 locations have also been identified for setting up Mechanized laundries for improving the quality of washing bed rolls. While 29 of the mechanized laundries will be managed by department, 21 will be outsourced.
These mechanised laundries have been set-up at 16 locations and are nearing deployment in 19 others. “More and more mechanical cleaning gadgets are being introduced.. Contacts are given for supply of machines like scrubbers, high pressure jet cleaners, mops etc”, said a senior railway official.
In an effort to bring in fast privatization, railways have introduced private investments in toilets at stations. About 850 railway stations are provided with “Pay-&-Use” toilets. To make the operation decentralized, Divisional Railway managers have been given powers to purchase tools and plants required for carrying various sanitation related activities.