Blankets provided in train are washed at least once a month: Railways Minister in Parliament

The Railway Minister also said that the linen provided to the passengers during train journeys is washed in mechanised laundries/washing facilities after every single use.

2 min readNew DelhiNov 28, 2024 01:20 PM IST

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw speaks in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI)

The blankets provided to passengers during train journeys are washed at least once in a month, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw Wednesday provided this information in Lok Sabha while responding to the queries of Kuldeep Indora, a Congress MP from Rajasthan.

He said that an additional bed sheet is also provided in the bedroll kit to the passengers for using it as a cover for the blankets.

“Blankets provided to passengers during train journeys are washed at least once in a month…The blankets used in Indian Railways, as per current specifications, are lighter, easy to wash and provide good insulation to passengers for overall comfortable journey experience,” said the response by Vaishnaw Wednesday.

The Railway Minister also said that the linen provided to the passengers during train journeys is washed in mechanised laundries/washing facilities after every single use.

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While listing out different measures taken by Indian Railways to provide clean bedding services, Vaishnaw said that procurement of new linen sets is carried out with improved BIS specifications that have tighter tolerances to ensure better quality.

“Mechanized laundries have been set up to ensure supply of clean and hygienic linen sets. Monitoring of linen washing activities in the laundry premises is done by CCTVs and Railway staff. Whito-meters are used to check the quality of washed linen items. Codal life of linen items has been reduced from the previously prescribed duration to allow for quicker induction of fresh linen items,” said the Railway Minister.

Ashwini Vaishnaw also said that War-rooms have been established at zonal Head-quarters and divisional levels to monitor/prompt action on complaints lodged on Rail madad portal including complaints on linen/bedroll.

Dheeraj Mishra

Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with the Business Bureau of The Indian Express. He plays a critical role in covering India's massive infrastructure sectors, providing in-depth reporting on the connectivity lifelines of the nation. Expertise & Focus Areas: Mishra’s journalism is focused on two of the country's most capital-intensive and public-facing ministries: Ministry of Railways: Tracking the operations, safety, and development of India's vast railway network. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways: Covering policy decisions, infrastructure projects, and highway development. What sets Mishra apart is his rigorous use of the Right to Information (RTI) Actas a primary tool for news gathering. By relying on official data and government records, he ensures a high degree of accuracy and trustworthiness in his reporting. This data-driven approach has resulted in numerous impactful reports that hold public institutions accountable and bring transparency to government operations. Find all stories by Dheeraj Mishra here ... Read More