<p>Plagued with complaints of dirty blankets, the Indian Railways has firmed up an action plan to increase the frequency of washing blankets and replace the existing ones with a designer, lightweight blankets in a phased manner.<br /><br />Besides, used blankets would be sanitised on a regular basis before being given for further use.<br /><br />Though the directive is to wash the blankets every one or two months, a CAG report had recently highlighted the unhygienic condition of blankets which were not washed for even six months.<br /><br />However, smelly blankets may soon become a thing of past on trains. The railways have roped in the National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFT) to design lightweight blankets with less wool content. A trial of 'thin, cold washable blankets' is also being carried out in the Central Railway zone as a pilot project.<br /><br />"Our aim is to provide washed blankets along with fresh linen in trains for each journey," said a senior Railway Ministry official in the housekeeping directorate who is involved in the task.<br /><br />Currently, about 3.90 lakh sets of linen are provided per day comprising two bedsheets, a towel, pillow and blanket for each passenger in AC classes.<br /><br />The plan envisages increasing the frequencies of washing of blankets to begin with and replacing the existing ones with the newly designed lightweight blankets made of soft fabric in a phased manner, he said.<br /><br />Railways have already started changing the cover of blankets in some sections while the frequency of washing is being increased from monthly to fortnightly and weekly, said the official.<br /><br />Railways had recently held a meeting on linen management which was attended by various stakeholders including mechanised laundry operators, suppliers of cleaning chemicals, linen suppliers and senior railway officers.<br /><br />It was decided to implement the plan for improvement of linen management with aim of providing clean, hygienic and good quality linen to passengers travelling in AC classes.<br /><br />Preparations are are being made to introduce lightweight blankets made of soft fabric and these will be washed after every use, the official said.<br /><br />There are about 50 mechanised laundries operational at the moment and ten more will be opened shortly.</p>
<p>Plagued with complaints of dirty blankets, the Indian Railways has firmed up an action plan to increase the frequency of washing blankets and replace the existing ones with a designer, lightweight blankets in a phased manner.<br /><br />Besides, used blankets would be sanitised on a regular basis before being given for further use.<br /><br />Though the directive is to wash the blankets every one or two months, a CAG report had recently highlighted the unhygienic condition of blankets which were not washed for even six months.<br /><br />However, smelly blankets may soon become a thing of past on trains. The railways have roped in the National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFT) to design lightweight blankets with less wool content. A trial of 'thin, cold washable blankets' is also being carried out in the Central Railway zone as a pilot project.<br /><br />"Our aim is to provide washed blankets along with fresh linen in trains for each journey," said a senior Railway Ministry official in the housekeeping directorate who is involved in the task.<br /><br />Currently, about 3.90 lakh sets of linen are provided per day comprising two bedsheets, a towel, pillow and blanket for each passenger in AC classes.<br /><br />The plan envisages increasing the frequencies of washing of blankets to begin with and replacing the existing ones with the newly designed lightweight blankets made of soft fabric in a phased manner, he said.<br /><br />Railways have already started changing the cover of blankets in some sections while the frequency of washing is being increased from monthly to fortnightly and weekly, said the official.<br /><br />Railways had recently held a meeting on linen management which was attended by various stakeholders including mechanised laundry operators, suppliers of cleaning chemicals, linen suppliers and senior railway officers.<br /><br />It was decided to implement the plan for improvement of linen management with aim of providing clean, hygienic and good quality linen to passengers travelling in AC classes.<br /><br />Preparations are are being made to introduce lightweight blankets made of soft fabric and these will be washed after every use, the official said.<br /><br />There are about 50 mechanised laundries operational at the moment and ten more will be opened shortly.</p>