E Coli bacteria, usually found in human and animal excreta, was found in water samples collected from coolers at several railway stations across the country, according to a recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The bacteria was found in drinking water samples at eight out of 49 railway stations, including three in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the CAG said in an August 5 report titled “Passenger Amenities and Sanitation at Non-Suburban Railway Stations in Indian Railways”.

E Coli bacteria was found in water coolers at Coimbatore and Palakkad Junction in the Southern Railway region, Hyderabad in the South Central Railway region, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan and Lonavala in the Central Railway region and Madhupur in the Eastern Railway region.

E coli in water indicates faecal contamination and can cause a range of diseases, including food poisoning, diarrhoea and urinary tract infections.

The CAG report also said that total coliform bacteria, including E Coli, were found in drinking water samples collected from platform taps at 49 stations.

Total coliforms are a group of bacteria that are usually found in soil and in human and animal waste. Total coliform counts are an indicator of the sanitary level of water supply.

The audit conducted by the CAG also found that bacteriological tests on parameters other than total coliforms gave unsatisfactory results at eight stations across four zones in 2022-’23 and 11 stations across five zones in 2023-’24.

At 179 stations, health inspectors had not carried out chemical tests of drinking water, the authority said. It added that at 77 stations, the tests had not been carried out at the prescribed frequency of twice a year.

The CAG said that the railways ministry, in a reply sent in September, said that action had been initiated based on the audit’s findings about the frequency of testing drinking water and unsatisfactory test results.

“However, the fact that unsatisfactory test results had been reported at different locations on multiple occasions indicates that railways needs to work out a more effective system to ensure provision of safe drinking water to passengers at all railway stations,” the authority said.

The report said that 458 out of the 512 stations were deficient in “minimum essential amenities”, such as drinking water, toilets and seating arrangements. It noted that the Railway Board had stipulated that the amenities be made available at all stations by August 31, 2018.

However, it remarked that “even high-revenue, high-footfall NSG-1 to NSG-3 [Non-Suburban Group-1 to Non-Suburban Group-3] stations exhibited significant shortfalls” on these parameters.

*Written by Neerad Pandharipande. Edited by Sara Varghese. *

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