Indian Railways news: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha that the blankets provided to train passengers by the Indian Railways are washed at least once a month. He further informed the house members that an additional bedsheet is provided in the bedroll kit for its use as a quilt cover.
Vaishnaw provided the information in response to a question from Congress MP Kuldeep Indora, who inquired whether the railways washes woollen blankets only once a month, despite passengers paying for bedding that meets basic hygiene standards.
Blankets used in Railway washed at least once in a month
In a written reply, the minister said, "Blankets provided to passengers during train journey are washed at least once in a month. An additional bed sheet is also provided in bedroll kit to the passengers for using it as a cover of blankets provided."
"The blankets used in Indian Railways, as per current specifications, are lighter, easy to wash and provide good insulation to passengers for an overall comfortable journey experience," he added.
Whito-meters used to check quality of washed linen items
He mentioned several measures taken to ensure passenger comfort and safety, including procurement of new linen sets with improved BIS specifications to ensure better quality, mechanised laundries to ensure supply of hygienic linen sets, use of standard machines and specified chemicals for washing of linen, and monitoring linen washing activities.
Vaishnaw said whito-meters are used to check the quality of washed linen items and the codal life of linen items has been reduced from the previously prescribed duration to allow quicker induction of fresh items. "War rooms have been established at zonal headquarters and divisional levels to monitor/prompt action on complaints lodged on RailMadad portal, including complaints on linen/bedroll," he said.
Besides eco-friendly packaging of bedrolls, improved logistics are used for storing, transportation, loading and unloading of linen/bedrolls at stations and on trains, the minister added.
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