According to sources, Indian Railways will soon stop providing blankets in AC coaches of some trains. This move is taken after the Comptroller Accounts General (CAG) criticised it for its poor hygiene and cleanliness.
Highlights
1. The temperature inside the train will be maintained at 24 degree Celsius to reduce the need for blankets.
2. This step is taken because maintaining the hygiene of blankets is becoming an expensive task for railways. It takes INR 55 to clean the bedroll while passengers were charged just INR 22.
3. Blankets should be washed every one or two months, which was not being followed. It resulted in railways being flooded with complaints.
4. The work of washing the bedrolls was managed by outside agencies. Railways was unable to do quality check of the work done by these agencies which created a lot of trouble for them.
Last year, railways started a scheme under which passengers with confirmed tickets can purchase disposable bedrolls online or from the counters at the stations. The scheme is yet to be availed in full swing.
