Cleaning work at railway station to be handed over to private agency

The plan of action was set in motion nearly two years ago by the Railway Ministry.

Cleaning and maintenance services hitherto undertaken by three to five agencies and department employees will be given to a single agency, covering all the six divisions of Southern Railway – Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Salem, Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram. File photo

Salem Division of the Southern Railway is mulling to hand over entire cleaning work contract, including the mechanic shed at Coimbatore junction, in a few months from now to a single agency, officials here said.

Cleaning and maintenance services hitherto undertaken by three to five agencies and department employees will be given to a single agency, covering all the six divisions of Southern Railway – Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Salem, Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram.

This has been taken up as part of the Swachh Railway Stations announced by the Ministry of Urban Development and the Swachh Bharat Scheme.

Kicked off nearly 2 years ago

The plan of action was set in motion nearly two years ago by the Railway Ministry. A separate department called Environment House Keeping Management Wing (EnHM) has been created and an official appointed for it in all the divisional headquarters. But, the Salem division is to get the designated official.

Meanwhile, the contracts for cleaning coaches in railway yards, on-board housekeeping services, cleaning of inter-city express trains at the platforms in a short time, maintenance of railway platforms and electrical and signal panels hitherto undertaken by three to four contractors will be given to one agency. The work contracts awarded to small contractors for all these services will be terminated shortly even if their contract period is left for more than a year.

Railway officials fear that if the cleaning and housekeeping contract for entire zone worth nearly ₹1000 crore for four years is awarded to one company, they will not be able to question them in case of any shortfalls in services.

K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, said that decentralisation of contracts and powers either at station-level or at divisional level will always be beneficial for the public and will enable effective controlling. Awarding the entire cleaning contract to one agency at the zonal-level will definitely affect effective monitoring, control over the services, and redressal of complaints from the travelling public, he said.