Blankets in Trains Washed Once in Two Months, Evoke Scare

Blankets in Trains Washed Once in Two Months, Evoke Scare

BENGALURU: The admission made by Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha in the Rajya Sabha on blankets in trains being washed only once every two months has evoked responses of shock among regular train travellers in Bengaluru.

The Bengaluru Railway Division asserts that the blankets are washed once every month in line with the guidelines laid down by the Railway Board. Blankets have a lifespan of just four years and cannot be washed every day, officials say.

Here is a sampler of responses from travellers in a/c compartments who are provided these facilities: “My God, this is very scary. I always carry my own pillow, bed cover and blanket when travelling by Mysore Express to Madurai once every three weeks. I generally use the blanket provided by the Railways as a footrest only. I will stop doing that too,” said Robby Nathaniel, manager in a telecom firm.

Manjari Ghosh says, “Going by the smell that emanates from the blankets, most people know, at the back of their mind, that it is not washed frequently. I guess we put up with it since you cannot always carry your blankets.”

This observant marketing manager states that she suspected they were not frequently washed as linen and pillow covers were generally taken away by the housekeeping staff on board while blankets were replaced at the spot from where they were taken.

However, she admitted that the information rattled her. “I was worried only about the cockroaches frequenting the compartments. I thought the blanket would be washed once every two or three weeks but once every two months is shocking.”

Rajib Chowdhury, a frequent traveller by 3-tier A/C to Kolkata, said he has always had a pleasant experience during his journeys and felt that the linen and blanket provided were always fresh. “This could be ignorance on my part,” he said adding that he will be careful in future. “It is the dirty coaches that bother me more,” Chowdhury added.

‘Blankets Washed Once a Month’

Parimal Shinde, Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer, Bangalore Division, said, “Blankets are washed once every month, which is line with the guidelines issued by the Railway Board. A woollen blanket actually lasts four years.”

Divisional Railway Manager Sanjiv Agarwal said, “A linen bedsheet is always provided with the blanket. Passengers drape themselves in the bedsheet and place the blanket on top of it.” This ensures they are only in contact with the daily washed sheet, he added.

Source :The New Indian Express