Archive · 22 Aug 2025
CAG Report Highlights Water, Sanitation Issues in Indian Railways
A government audit checked how clean Indian trains are.
They found many complaints about no water in toilets.
Over a third of the complaints took too long to fix.
Some cleaning machines weren't used much, and some bathrooms weren't cleaned well.
The report showed different levels of satisfaction with the toilets based on the zone.
The audit also looked at the money spent on cleaning, where many zones spent more than planned.
CAG report reveals 100,280 water-related complaints in Indian Railways during 2022-23.
33.84% of water unavailability complaints took longer to resolve than expected.
Passenger satisfaction with bio-toilets varied significantly across railway zones.
Quick Watering Arrangements (QWA) were operational in 81 of 109 identified stations.
Expenditures for cleanliness and linen management exceeded budgets in several railway zones.
- Who
- Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
- What
- CAG report on cleanliness and sanitation in Indian Railways.
- When
- Report covers the period from 2018-19 to 2022-23, focusing on 2022-23 data.
- Where
- Indian Railways, across various zones.
- Why
- To assess cleanliness, sanitation, and water availability in trains.
Issues Highlighted in Report
Railway Response and Challenges
Water Shortage Resolution
Issues Highlighted in Report
Significant delays in addressing water-related complaints and operational issues.
Railway Response and Challenges
Efforts made to resolve water shortages via Quick Watering Arrangement (QWA).
- Total Water Complaints (2022-23)
- 100,280
- Delayed Complaint Resolution
- 33.84%
- Stations with QWA
- 81 out of 109
- Passenger Surveyed
- 2,426
Sources
Over 1 Lakh Complaints on Water Shortage in Railways Toilets in 2022-23: CAG
Railways Received 1,00,280 Water Complaints, 33.84% Not Resolved On Time: Report
CAG flags over 1 lakh complaints over lack of water in toilets of Indian Railways coaches in 2022-23
