To address the increasing complaints about unclean coaches, the Central Railway (CR) is implementing a first: dustbins will be placed next to each row inside long-distance trains. This initiative, a first for Indian Railways, began earlier this month with the 11057 Mumbai CSMT-Amritsar Express. Four further trains will be added in the coming days during the trial phase.
Dustbin Installation
For the trial, stainless steel, leg-operated dustbins have been installed under tray tables in air-conditioned (AC) coaches of the 16-coach train. These bins are placed between rows, where passengers usually store smaller baggage. Currently, two trains have been fitted with these portable bins.
According to CR official, “A fortnight-long trial yielded excellent feedback. We plan to extend this system to the AC coaches of at least four more trains within the next two days.”
Addressing Complaints
CR’s ‘Rail Madad’ app receives 10-12 daily complaints about unclean coaches in north-bound trains from Mumbai. The CSMT-Amritsar Express, with the largest number of complaints about cleanliness issues, has seen a significant reduction in garbage-related complaints since the introduction of row-wise dustbins.
To maintain cleanliness, on-board housekeeping staff have been instructed to check the bins hourly and replace garbage covers as needed.
At present, dustbins are only available under washbasins, which often overflowed early in the journey and were cleaned only at the end. The new dustbins will initially be installed in First AC, Second AC, and Third AC coaches across more trains originating from CSMT and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. The purpose is to equip all Mumbai-originating trains with row-wise dustbins by March 2025.
Based on passenger feedback, CR is also considering extending this facility to Sleeper Coaches.
