When traveling in an AC coach of the train, you get a bedroll, which includes two sheets, pillow and blanket. With this you can travel further with ease. Now have you ever wondered how many times the Railways washes these bedsheets, combs and pillow covers. If you don’t know, then recently the answer to this question has come to light through an RTI i.e. Right to Information.
railway rules
Quoting the RTI reply, it has been said that the linen given to the passengers is washed after every use. Railways have also revealed through RTI that wool blankets are washed ‘at least once or twice a month’. It depends on their availability and logistics.
what the staff told
20 members of the housing staff who work on different long-distance trains told the newspaper that the blankets are washed only once a month. An employee said, ‘After every trip, we give the bedsheets and pillow covers in bundles to the laundry. In case of blankets, we keep them folded properly. We send them to the laundry when there is a smell or a food stain.
Another employee told the newspaper, ‘There is no guarantee that the blankets are washed twice a month. In most of the cases, we give blankets for washing only when there are complaints about them like bad smell, wetness etc. If a complaint is made by the passenger, in some cases we immediately ensure that clean blankets are provided.
Does Railways charge separately for blankets and sheets?
According to the report, in the reply to the RTI given by the Railways, it has been said, ‘All this is included in the railway fare. By booking tickets in trains like Garib Rath and Duronto, bedrolls can be availed by paying charges as per each kit.
