NEW DELHI: When deficiencies at railway stations remain unaddressed even after being brought to the notice of authorities, who is responsible? That question is at the heart of a PIL, as the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear it on Monday.
A bench of the apex court, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), is likely to hear the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on November 16, seeking directions to the Centre and other concerned authorities to undertake time-bound corrective measures to ensure basic passenger amenities, including safe drinking water, hygienic toilets, proper sanitation, emergency medical facilities and accessibility at railway stations across the country.
The petition, filed by Krishnakant, has called for a comprehensive mechanism to monitor the availability and maintenance of essential facilities at railway stations, arguing that deficiencies in these basic amenities directly threaten the health, safety, dignity and lives of millions of passengers who use the railway network every day.
The petitioner, Krishnakant, has urged the apex court to direct the authorities to ensure comprehensive and periodic testing of all drinking water sources available to passengers at railway stations. The testing should cover prescribed bacteriological and chemical parameters.
Referring to a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India tabled in Parliament, the petitioner pointed to findings concerning the presence of E. coli bacteria in drinking water supplied through water coolers and unhygienic conditions in washrooms at several railway stations.
The petition has argued that such findings underline the need for a systematic and enforceable monitoring mechanism rather than relying on routine inspections and corrective measures undertaken after complaints or adverse incidents.
The PIL seeks to establish a time-bound framework to ensure that essential passenger facilities are not merely provided on paper but remain functional, hygienic and accessible in practice. Given the extensive reach of Indian Railways and its dependence as a primary mode of transport for millions of people, the petition raises wider questions about public health standards, infrastructure maintenance and institutional accountability at railway stations.
