36% to 44% of Railway Budget Underutilised in 2019-20 to 2023-24, CAG Finds

New Delhi: An audit of passenger amenities and sanitation by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has revealed that more than 89% of 512 railway stations inspected were deficient in one or more Minimum Essential Amenities (MEAs), including drinking water, toilets, fans, water coolers and signage. The report said that while there was no fund shortage, underutilisation of budget grants ranged between 36% to 44% during 2019-20 to 2023-24, highlighting "deficiencies in planning and execution rather than financial constraints."

89% stations lack essential amenities

The findings are a part of the CAG report on passenger amenities and sanitation at non-suburban railway stations in Indian Railways that was tabled in parliament last week.

The report revealed that of the 512 stations audited, 458 stations were deficient in one or more MEAs.

"Significant shortfalls were observed in the provision of MEAs at the selected 512 stations, particularly in respect of fans (42%), water coolers (40%), drinking water taps (27%), urinals (22%), seating arrangements (15%), platform shelters (13%), latrines (12%) and clocks (12%)," the report said.

The Railway Board's April 2018 instructions mandate that MEAs must be provided first at all stations, irrespective of category. These include drinking water, waiting halls, seating arrangements, platform shelters, urinals, latrines, high-level platforms, fans, foot over bridges (FOBs), dustbins, clocks and public address systems. 

The audit included non-suburban stations that handle long-distance passenger traffic of at least 150km. The sample sizes were taken from 5,908 stations across 16 zones, running 7,424 passenger trains daily and servicing 292.4 crore passengers as of 2023-2024. It found that only 11%, or 54 of the 512 sample stations spread across 13 zonal railways, had no shortfall as per the regulations.

Of the 512 selected stations, 325 were non-Amrit Bharat Stations. The Amrit Bharat Scheme is an ongoing Railway Ministry initiative under which 1,300 railway stations are being modernised across the country since 2022.

The report said an analysis of Passenger Amenities Management System (PAMS) data (February 2025) confirmed that "deficiencies persisted across all station categories and Zones, indicating systemic gaps rather than isolated cases."

"Audit further observed that no time bound actions were prepared  for bridging gaps in recommended and desirable amenities, contrary to Railway Board instructions," it said.

Accessibility, medical facilities inadequate

It also found that amenities for persons with disabilities were inadequate and non-compliant with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, with substantial deficiencies in accessibility infrastructure, information systems, toilets, ramps, tactile pathways, lifts and announcements.

Standard ramp with railing for barrier free entry was found at only 44% of the audited stations, earmarking of parking lots at 55%, non-slippery walkways at 32% and drinking water tap on alternate water booths at each platform at 58%. Wheelchairs were not available at 12 out of 512 stations.

Medical care at stations was largely inadequate, with emergency medical rooms and AIIMS-recommended medical boxes absent at a majority of the stations, posing risks to passenger safety. 

In addition, sanitation infrastructure remained deficient, marked by nonfunctional toilets, inadequate pay-and-use facilities and continued existence of unauthorised entry points affecting cleanliness and safety.

59% of passenger amenity works delayed

The report said a review of 395 passenger amenity works undertaken during 2019-20 to 2023-24 showed that 59% were delayed for over one to four years. Only 41% of them were completed within stipulated timelines, depriving passengers from access to essential facilities. 

The report added that while there was no shortage of available funds, there was persistent underutilisation of budget grants for provision of passenger amenities. This ranged between 36-44% during 2019-20 to 2023-24, even in non-COVID years, which the report said  highlighted "deficiencies in planning and execution rather than financial constraints."

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