A senior official of Indian Railways has sparked a public debate over hygiene and passenger responsibility on premium trains ahead of the launch of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express.
‘Learned your toilet manners’
Ananth Rupanagudi, Chief Project Manager at Indian Railways, urged passengers to use the upcoming sleeper service only if they are willing to follow basic washroom etiquette and respect public assets. In a post on X, he wrote, “Please travel in it only if you have learnt your toilet manners, will obey the instructions given in the washrooms, and have respect for public property. Thanks!.”
The post has been viewed over 80,000 times and has generated a substantial number of comments. Many asked if the railway authorities ensured working flush systems, adequate water supplies, tissues, and proper staffing. Responding to one such comment, Rupanagudi says that in most premier trains, facilities are operational, but problems often arise when passengers fail to use them properly or check whether the systems are working.
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Hygiene debate spills online
The exchange became sharper when a user shared an old video reportedly showing railway staff dumping garbage on the tracks. A user commented on X, “Hope the Flush will work , Water will be filled, Tissues will be kept then please educate public because these are not available mostly in 2 AC and 3 AC . Proper maintenance is required and adequate staffing should be provided and contractors should not loot.” Replying to the comment Rupangadi wrote, “That's never the problem, at least in premier trains. It's just that some of the passengers don't even bother to flush or even check whether it's working.”
A user shared a video writing, “Look what example we set when foreigners travel in our trains, staff has no sense of cleanliness.” Replying to this, Rupangadi wrote, “Just selective circulation of old videos don't tell the complete truth. Yes, there's a problem which is being tackled, and the vendors indulging in such activities are being fined heavily.” Rupanagudi also welcomed a suggestion to run informational videos inside the trains to educate passengers on washroom etiquette, calling it “a good idea.”
What sets the sleeper service apart?
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Express is to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week on the Guwahati–Howrah route. According to a report by the Indian Express, the train will introduce some key changes to ticketing norms.
A key change involves the complete elimination of RAC and waitlisted tickets. The ticket issued will be fully confirmed, and all berths will be open at the beginning of the Advance Reservation Period.
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Fare structure and travel time
In a Railway Board circular dated January 9, it is mentioned that the minimum chargeable distance will be 400 km, which means passengers will have to pay at least that fare even if the distance they cover is less than this. Ticket prices are likely to be slightly higher than premium trains such as the Rajdhani Express.
This new sleeper service will also cut travel time on the route by approximately three hours, in comparison with the existing express trains, thus offering a quicker overnight alternative alongside stricter expectations of passenger conduct.
