Indian Railways washes blankets only once in a month, reveals RTI query

Hyderabad: An RTI query revealed that the Indian Railways washes bed sheets and pillow covers after every journey but that the blankets in air-conditioned coaches are cleaned only once in a month.

As the bed sheets and pillow covers are white and any dirt on them would show up, they are cleaned for every journey but the woollen blankets, being in darker colours, they don't show appear dirty, which could be the reason for the delay in cleaning.

This revelation has raised concerns about hygiene in travelling in AC compartments given the huge number of passengers using the facilities on a daily basis.

Indian Railways is the world's fourth largest railway network operating over 22,593 trains across the country and transporting nearly 24 million passengers daily.

However, the RTI revelation is a concerning issue for the passengers which could prompt many to bring their own blankets and bedsheets during the next journey. They could think twice before using the amenities provided onboard by the railway authorities.

With millions of passengers travelling in the coaches daily, the long gap between the washing of the blankets could lead to accumulation of germs and serious health concerns.

According to a section officer for Environment and Housekeeping Management at the Ministry of Railways, confirmed that woolen blankets are typically washed just once a month, with extra cleaning occurring only if they are visibly dirty or emit a foul smell.

It is learnt that blankets are reused without washing till there is some serious concern with regard to them like spilling of some fluids or significant dirt.