New Delhi: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has warned that free drinking water supplied to passengers at several railway stations showed bacterial contamination, including the presence of E. coli, after laboratory testing of collected samples.
The audit reviewed whether passenger amenities—such as drinking water and toilets—met Railway Board norms across 512 non-suburban stations selected from multiple railway zones. The report noted shortcomings in basic facilities at many stations.
To assess water quality, samples were taken from water coolers and platform taps at stations and sent for lab analysis. During 2022–23, samples were collected from 49 stations across eight railway zones, and in 2023–24 from 56 stations across nine zones; the tests confirmed bacterial presence, including E. coli.
According to the report, E. coli was detected in water-cooler samples from stations including Coimbatore, Palakkad Junction, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan, Lonavala and Madhupur. The report cautioned that consuming such contaminated water can cause severe intestinal infections leading to diarrhoea and vomiting, and in rare cases kidney complications.
