RailEnquiry

RANCHI: With increase in the number of trains from Ranchi in the past six years, hygiene and sanitation have deteriorated drastically.Most of the trains go without cleaning owing to lack of sanitation facility at Hatia railway yard of South Eastern Railway, where over 300 coaches queue up everyday for washing. Only six washing lines clean about 20 trains which leave from either Ranchi station or Hatia station.Yard masters at Hatia yard said each train takes about three to five hours, depending on the size of the rack, to be cleaned. The six washing lines at Hatia yard have the capacity to clean around seven to eight trains each day. Instead, these machines have to clean 20-odd trains. Imminently, most of the trains leaving the yard remain unclean.Chief yard master P S Singh refused to talk to the press saying he was not authorized to speak to the media. A senior official seeking anonymity said at various meetings held with senior authorities, officials concerned have complained to the divisional railway manager (DRM) several times about the lack of washing lines at Hatia yard. The problem is also acknowledged at higher levels but there has been no change in the sanitation system.Power shortage is another problem at the washing yard where machines are run on electricity, added Kumar.

An official of Annapurna Utilities, which cleans all premium trains like Ranchi-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, Sampark Kranti Express, said, "Many a times, power supply to the washing lines is disconnected while the work is in progress.."

The problem is acute with some trains. Howrah Ranchi Intercity Express arrives at 11pm and goes to the washing line around 30 minutes later. "By the time the Intercity arrives, some trains which have arrived between 7pm and 9pm are already in the queue. In such a situation, the intercity has to wait for hours before going to the washing line," said a senior yard official.

A source in the yard said there have been several occasions where the Dumka-Ranchi Intercity Express had left for Ranchi railway station half-cleaned. "The train arrives at 11.30 pm and reaches Hatia for cleaning around 12 am it reaches Hatia. The scheduled departure time for the intercity from Ranchi is 5.20 am. The train is generally sent to the washing line around 2am and at times even 3am. It is not possible to clean it in one hour," said an official.

DRM Ranchi division G Malaya said, "The cleaning work was outsourced . We will find out the lacuna to improve the situation."