THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Unhygienic conditions in trains a concern? It is this very thought that spurred four friends from Kerala to introduce a box of essentials which promises to revolutionise travel in the country.
India’s first rail hygiene kit—the brainchild of Mizhab K, Mohammed Nihad, Abhishek Roopesh, and Suhail V, and unveiled as part of their firm Travel Essentia—contains toothbrush, toothpaste, wet wipes, wet towels, paper soap, sanitiser sachets, toilet seat covers, cutlery kit, face mask, and a cotton pouch. And if you feel bored after scrolling through reels on the journey, you can treat yourself to games such as Ludo and Snakes and Ladders printed on the inside. The dice is included in the kit.
The youngsters are now planning to go national by utilising online delivery platforms, multipurpose stalls on railway stations and vendors on trains.
Having met through Delhi University’s student community, only to become roommates later, Mizhab, Nihad and Abhishek always relied on trains to travel home during vacations. Although issues of hygiene were a constant bother, they never thought of a solution.
At least not until the clamour became difficult to ignore. Widespread demand for a solution stirred them into action. Boarding a train to Delhi, in the months following their graduation, the three friends analysed the problem.
“If everyone’s conscious about cleanliness, we don’t need to talk much about it,” says Mizhab. Adding a common friend, Suhail, into the mix, they found a manufacturing and packaging unit, kickstarting their venture. Before the formal launch, they were recognised by Kerala Youth Welfare Board’s ‘Pitch Kerala 2026’ this year, emerging as the first runner-up.
“We launched our kit through a promotional stall at Kozhikode railway station on April 16, and the response was very encouraging. We also received a positive response from northern states such as Bihar and Odisha,” Mizhab said.
The kit is available for purchase on their website, with delivery anywhere in the state taking up to two days. “We also plan to utilise online delivery apps. We are also considering sales through multipurpose stalls at stations and through train vendors,” Mizhab said.
While most of the components in the kit are readily available in most homes, the product helps avoid last-minute hassles. The youngsters are now planning to introduce a women’s hygiene kit, and even a bus hygiene kit.
