NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways is considering measures to make the On-Board Housekeeping Staff (OBHS) more courteous and leave a positive impression on passengers during their journey.
In the new initiative, currently being introduced, proves successful, OBHS personnel will begin introducing themselves to passengers at the start of the journey in an effort to build trust and establish a good rapport with the passengers.
With this aim in mind, Indian Railways has instructed all its zones to conduct counselling sessions for OBHS staff.
In an official communication issued by the Railway Board to all zones, the railway has proposed system improvements following a recent on-board inspection.
These improvements include counselling for the housekeeping staff. “All OBHS staff should be counselled to introduce themselves at the beginning of the journey and build trust of passengers”, the Railway Board directive stated.
The directive also emphasises that OBHS staff should be available to assist passengers throughout the journey. Stressing the importance of consistency, the Railway has further instructed that daily counselling sessions for OBHS staff must be carried out to ensure that these practices are adhered to regularly.
Additionally, the chiefs of all zones have been directed to ensure strict compliance with these instructions.
According to available information, the OBHS scheme was initially launched by the Railway Board in 2006 as a pilot project in six Mail and Express trains.
Following its success, the service was subsequently extended to additional trains.
As per official data, the scheme is now operational in over 1,200 pairs of key Mail and Express trains. Under this initiative, the cleanliness of coaches, toilets, and other on-board facilities is managed by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
Despite these efforts, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in its 2023 audit of OBHS conducted across 15 trains, identified several discrepancies.
The report was tabled in both Houses of Parliament.
Notably, the CAG stated that in 13 out of the 15 audited trains — including the Bilaspur Rajdhani Express, Pune–Secunderabad Shatabdi Express, Kota–Patna Express, Darjeeling Mail, and Gorakhpur Weekly Express — deficiencies such as choked and stinking lavatories and wash basins, soiled linen stored in doorway areas, and dirty vestibule areas were observed during the audit.
The CAG also stated, “The shortfall in inspections, coupled with a large number of instances of deficiencies against contractual provisions, was indicative of the need for strengthening control over the contractors”.
Side by side, the CAG has further suggested that the Railways must ensure full implementation of the Railway Board’s directives, including surprise inspections by authorities on all operating Mail and Express trains.
Meanwhile, a senior source in the Ministry of Railways told TNIE on Thursday that the Railway is taking the CAG's audit report seriously and has begun working in mission mode to implement both the CAG’s recommendations and the Railway’s own guidelines for improving the functioning of OBHS.