Indian Railways is ordering corrective steps to improve drinking-water quality and is planning to install new “Tank to Tap” water filtration systems at around 20,000 locations across its network. The move follows a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) review that flagged concerns about drinking water quality on the national transporter.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviews the issue with senior officials and directs immediate actions. These include replacing existing water tanks, enforcing regular water quality testing at both source and outlet points, and setting up centralized monitoring and accountability. Railways also schedules cleaning and maintenance of storage tanks, with progress and water-quality reports to be published periodically.
Outlet accounts align on the scale of the planned upgrades—about 20,000 sites including water coolers—and on the governance approach, with monitoring at the Board level and periodic reporting aimed at transparency. Both sources describe the initiative as part of a broader effort to address CAG observations and improve the travel experience, focusing on safer drinking water at railway stations and on trains.
