Bengaluru: A recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India audit has raised concerns over the availability of drinking water at railway stations, including several major stations in and around Bengaluru. The findings point to gaps in basic passenger amenities across the railway network, bringing the adequacy of drinking water facilities under scrutiny.The audit covered a five-year period from 2019-20 to 2023-24 and assessed 512 railway stations across the country. In the South Western Railway (SWR) zone, which covers most of Karnataka, 31 stations were selected for the audit.KSR Bengaluru railway station, one of the busiest railway terminals in the country, was found to be lacking essential passenger amenities. During the audit, the CAG found that the Majestic terminal did not have water coolers for passengers, despite this being a minimum requirement for stations classified under the NSG-1 category.KSR Bengaluru is among just 10 stations in the country to fall under the NSG-1 category. During the audit period, the station recorded annual earnings of Rs 757 crore and handled a passenger footfall of 2.4 crore.However, KSR Bengaluru was not the only station found lacking essential drinking water facilities. Yeshwantpur Junction, another key railway station in Bengaluru, was found to have no drinking water taps. The north Bengaluru station is among 19 stations across the country without such taps. Like KSR Bengaluru, Yeshwantpur Junction was also found to be without water coolers, despite being classified as an NSG-II category station.Kengeri railway station on the Bengaluru-Mysuru route was also found to have inadequate drinking water facilities. The audit further flagged deficiencies in washroom facilities at stations in Davangere and Mandya. Several shortcomings were also identified at Bangarapet, a crucial railway junction near Bengaluru.During the audit, Bangarapet was found to be lacking drinking water taps. The station also did not have an adequate number of fans for waiting passengers or sufficient seating to accommodate its passenger footfall. The audit also noted that some electronic train indicator boards at the station were non-functional.In contrast, Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) was found to have no shortfalls in minimum essential amenities during the audit period.Within the South Western Railway (SWR) zone, which covers most of Karnataka, shortfalls in essential amenities were observed at 10 stations. Inadequate drinking water taps for general second-class passengers were recorded at 12 stations. Beyond water facilities, four stations in the zone lacked waiting halls, while five had no urinals and 11 had a shortage of such facilities.The zone performed relatively well in providing amenities for persons with disabilities compared to other railway zones. However, the audit identified deficiencies in ramps at eight stations and a lack of non-slippery walkways at five stations.The railway ministry Sunday announced a new “tank-to-tap” water filtration system at 20,000 locations across the network, including water coolers, along with a monitoring mechanism to track water quality and availability. The railways said drinking water remains a top priority and will be monitored directly at the board level. Progress updates and water quality reports will also be published periodically.
