How clean are train blankets? Ashwini Vaishnaw REVEALS cleaning practices

Blankets provided to train passengers are washed at least once a month and an additional bedsheet is provided in the bedroll kit for its use as a quilt cover, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

"Whether woollen blankets are washed only once a month while passengers are paying for bedding that meets the basic hygiene standards" was the query posed by Congress MP Kuldeep Indora, to which he responded.

Also Read | THIS is India's only income tax-free state: Know benefits and reasons behind the unique status

In a letter response, the minister stated, "The blankets used in Indian Railways, as per current specifications, are lighter, easy to wash and provide good insulation to passengers for an overall comfortable journey experience."

He listed a number of steps taken to guarantee the comfort and safety of passengers, such as purchasing new linen sets with enhanced BIS specifications to guarantee higher quality, using mechanized laundries to guarantee a supply of sanitary linen sets, washing linens using standard equipment and designated chemicals, and keeping an eye on linen washing operations.

Also Read | IRCTC Black Friday Offer: 100 per cent convenience fee waiver and Rs 50 lakh insurance on flight bookings

The codal life of linen items has been shortened from the previously recommended time to enable faster induction of new products, and whito-meters are employed to assess the quality of washed linen items, according to Vaishnaw.

"War rooms have been established at zonal headquarters and divisional levels to monitor/prompt action on complaints lodged on RailMadad portal, including complaints on linen/bedroll," he stated.

The minister stated that in addition to environmentally friendly bedroll packaging, better logistics are employed for the loading, unloading, and storage of linen and bedrolls at stations and on trains.