Archive · 16 Aug 2026
CAG flags E. coli bacteria in railway station drinking water
In India, a special office called the CAG checks that the government does its work properly.
The CAG checked the drinking water and facilities at railway stations across the country.
It found tiny germs called E. coli in the water coolers at eight stations.
Some E. coli germs can make people sick with food poisoning, diarrhoea and even kidney problems.
The report also found that 458 out of 512 stations checked did not have all the basic facilities passengers need, like toilets, water taps and seats.
Even big stations like New Delhi and Mumbai's CSMT were missing some important facilities.
The Railway Board had asked stations to provide these basic facilities by August 2018, but many still do not have them.
Proper water testing was also not done at many stations.
The CAG has asked the railways to test the water more carefully and fix all the problems.
This matters because millions of people travel on Indian trains every day.
A CAG audit found E. coli bacteria in drinking water from water coolers at eight railway stations across four railway zones.
Total coliform bacteria, including E. coli, were detected in platform tap water at 49 stations during 2022-23 and 56 stations during 2023-24.
More than 89 per cent of the 512 audited non-suburban stations (458) were deficient in Minimum Essential Amenities.
Even NSG-1 stations such as CSMT, Howrah, Sealdah, New Delhi and Mumbai Central lacked adequate seating, sanitation, dustbins and electronic train indicator boards.
The CAG recommended complying with water supply inspection protocols and comprehensive drinking water quality testing under the Uniform Drinking Water Quality Protocol.
- Who
- The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), India's national auditor, which audited passenger amenities and sanitation at Indian Railways' non-suburban stations.
- What
- Found E. coli in water cooler samples at eight stations, coliform contamination in platform tap water, and Minimum Essential Amenities deficiencies at 458 of 512 stations, with bacteriological analysis not carried out at 59 stations over six zones.
- When
- The report was tabled in Parliament on August 12; it covers audit instances from 2019-20 to 2023-24, along with earlier and, where necessary, later cases.
- Where
- Railway stations across India, including Coimbatore, Palakkad, Hyderabad, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan, Lonavala and Madhupur.
- Why
- To assess whether Indian Railways' efforts to provide passenger amenities and sanitation at stations yielded the intended benefits.
- Report
- Passenger Amenities and Sanitation at Non-Suburban Railway Stations in Indian Railways (Report No. 31 of 2026)
- Stations with E. coli in water coolers
- 8 – Coimbatore, Palakkad Junctions, Hyderabad, CSMT, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan, Lonavala, Madhupur
- Stations deficient in MEA
- 458 of 512 selected stations (over 89%)
- Total coliform positive platform taps
- 49 stations (2022-23) and 56 stations (2023-24)
- Bacteriological testing gaps
- Analysis not carried out at 59 stations over six zones; other tests unsatisfactory at 8 stations (2022-23) and 11 stations (2023-24)
- Amenity shortfalls
- Latrines at 201 stations, urinals at 403 stations, water taps at 2,035 stations
- Railway network scale
- 5,908 NSG stations; over 7,424 daily non-suburban trains; 292.4 crore passengers (2023-24)
- MEA compliance deadline
- 31 August 2018 (Railway Board instructions, April 2018)
Sources
CAG flags E. coli bacteria in drinking water at railway stations
CAG flags E. coli bacteria in drinking water at stations, cites violation of Railway Board norms
Centre's auditor flags E. coli bacteria in drinking water at Railway stations, cites violation norms
E. coli in railway station water, poor sanitation: CAG flags gaps at 458 stations - Telegraph India
Centre's Auditor CAG Flags E Coli In Drinking Water Across Railway Stations
CAG Flags E. Coli In Drinking Water At Railway Stations, Finds Widespread Passenger Amenity Gaps
E. coli bacteria found in drinking water at some railway stations, CAG flags violation of norms
