Question : Rail Neer

(a) whether the Railways have any assessment relating to the total requirement/ supply of branded bottled water in trains and platforms and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Railways have taken cognizance of increasing case of non branded bottled water/poor quality of water being sold in trains and platforms across the country and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Railways are aware that despite the instructions from the Railways, the vendors are selling non branded bottled water;

(d) if so, whether the Railways have conducted any raids/checks with regard to sale of non branded water in trains and platforms and if so, the number of cases registered during the last three years, State/ UT-wise; and

(e) the details of measures taken/being taken by the Railways in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) As per assessment made by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the present requirement of Packaged Drinking Water over Indian Railways is about 25 lakh litres per day.

(b) to (e) Rail Neer and other Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) approved Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) brands shortlisted by Zonal Railways are sold on Railway stations/on trains. Regular, surprise and periodical checks are carried out by Railway personnel to verify that only Railway-approved brands of Packaged Drinking Water bottles are sold at Railway stations and in trains. A total of 960 complaints regarding sale of non-branded packaged drinking water bottles in trains and stations were received during the last three years (i.e. 01.08.2012 to 31.07.2015). Penal action against defaulting licensees included imposition of monetary fines to the tune of ? 7,10,000/- in 341 cases.

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