A CAG audit has flagged gaps in basic passenger amenities at Bengaluru's KSR Majestic and Yeshwantpur railway stations. The stations lacked essential drinking water facilities, while other Karnataka stations also faced shortages of toilets, taps and waiting areas.
A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged serious gaps in basic passenger amenities at several major railway stations in Karnataka, including KSR Bengaluru and Yeshwantpur. The audit found that some stations lacked essential drinking water facilities, while others faced shortages of taps, toilets, waiting areas and facilities for differently-abled passengers. The findings have raised concerns over the availability and maintenance of basic amenities at busy railway stations across the state.
The CAG audit covered a five-year period from 2019-20 to 2023-24 and examined 512 railway stations across the country. As part of the audit, 31 stations under the South Western Railway (SWR) zone, which covers most of Karnataka, were inspected.
No Water Coolers At Majestic And Yeshwantpur
The audit highlighted gaps in basic drinking water facilities at KSR Bengaluru, also known as Majestic, one of the busiest railway terminals in the state.
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Majestic Station: KSR Bengaluru is among the 10 stations in the country classified under the top NSG-1 category. During the audit period, the station generated annual revenue of ₹757 crore and handled 2.4 crore passengers. However, the CAG found that the station did not have water coolers, a mandatory facility for NSG-1 stations.
Yeshwantpur Junction: The audit also found that Yeshwantpur Junction did not have drinking water taps. The station was among 19 railway stations across the country identified with this shortcoming. Despite being an NSG-2 category station, Yeshwantpur also lacked water coolers.
Poor Facilities At Kengeri, Bangarapet, Davanagere And Mandya
Kengeri Station: The drinking water facilities at Kengeri railway station on the Bengaluru-Mysuru line were also found to be inadequate.
Bangarapet Junction: The station was found to have a shortage of drinking water taps, fans and seating arrangements for waiting passengers. The audit also found that some electronic train indicator boards were not functioning.
Davanagere And Mandya: The report highlighted poor toilet and washroom facilities at both stations.
Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal: The Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Baiyappanahalli was a notable exception. The CAG report found that the station had the minimum essential amenities during the audit period.
Overall Picture In South Western Railway Zone
Across the South Western Railway zone, 10 stations were found to have shortages of minimum essential facilities.
Drinking Water For General Class Passengers: Twelve stations did not have enough drinking water taps to meet the needs of passengers travelling in General Second-Class coaches.
Shortage Of Toilets And Waiting Halls: Four stations in the zone did not have waiting halls. Five stations had no urinals, while 11 others faced a shortage of urinals.
Facilities For Differently-Abled Passengers: Although the SWR zone performed better than several other railway zones in providing facilities for differently-abled passengers, gaps remained. Eight stations lacked ramps, while five did not have non-slippery walkways.
Railway Ministry Announces New Measures
In response to the CAG findings, the Railway Ministry announced on Sunday that water coolers and a new "Tank-to-Tap" water filtration system would be installed at 20,000 locations across the railway network.
The ministry also said the Railway Board would directly monitor drinking water availability and quality across railway stations. Periodic reports on water quality will also be published to improve monitoring and accountability.
