India

E. Coli in Water, Missing Toilets: CAG Exposes Shocking Gaps at India's Top Railway Stations

Published: 16 August 2026 · 1 min read

What Happened

A CAG audit found E. coli contamination in drinking water at several railway stations and flagged widespread shortages of basic passenger facilities. Even major hubs like New Delhi, Mumbai Central, Howrah, Sealdah, and CSMT were found lacking adequate seating, toilets, dustbins, and information displays.

Key Takeaways

The audit revealed that 458 of 512 inspected stations (nearly 90%) failed to meet Minimum Essential Amenities standards, highlighting serious concerns over passenger safety, sanitation, and service quality across India's railway network.

Sources

HT, New Indian Express