Supreme Court plea seeks safety, hygiene measures at railway stations

A plea in the Supreme Court has sought time-bound measures to ensure safe drinking water, functional toilets, sanitation and emergency medical facilities at railway stations. It also seeks periodic water testing and accountability for lapses in passenger amenities

New Delhi: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Centre and others to undertake time-bound corrective measures at railway stations to ensure hygienic drinking water, emergency medical facilities, functional toilets and accessibility for passengers.

The plea has also sought directions to the concerned authorities to ensure comprehensive and periodic testing of all passenger drinking water sources at railway stations in accordance with prescribed standards.

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According to the cause list for November 16 uploaded on the apex court’s website, the plea is scheduled to come up for hearing before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.

The plea has sought directions to undertake time-bound corrective and remedial measures at railway stations to ensure hygienic drinking water, cleanliness and sanitation, functional toilets, proper waste management, accessibility, emergency medical facilities and all prescribed minimum essential amenities to safeguard the health, safety, dignity and lives of railway passengers.

“Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction, directing the respondents to ensure comprehensive and periodic testing of all passenger drinking water sources in accordance with the prescribed standards, including for E. coli, total coliforms and other bacteriological and chemical parameters, and to immediately discontinue every unsafe or contaminated source and provide safe alternative drinking water until rectification and certification,” said one of the prayers made in the plea.

It referred to a Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report tabled in Parliament in August this year, which flagged the presence of E. coli bacteria in drinking water from water coolers and unhygienic conditions in washrooms at several stations.

The plea has sought a direction to the concerned authorities to implement the applicable recommendations of the CAG report within definite timelines through station-wise corrective action and an effective, transparent monitoring mechanism.

It said that in case of failure, neglect or unjustified delay in rectifying the deficiencies within the prescribed time frame, responsibility and accountability should be fixed upon the concerned officers, with appropriate action taken in accordance with the law.

It further sought directions, pending disposal of the petition, for the authorities to immediately address deficiencies directly affecting passenger health and safety, particularly those relating to unsafe drinking water, sanitation and cleanliness, toilets, waste management and emergency medical preparedness.