Vinod Bhat
New Delhi: Indian Railways (IR) provides clean and hygienic linen to passengers travelling in AC classes in each trip. Each bedroll packet contains two bed sheets, one pillow cover and a hand towel. One bed sheet is intended for keeping it on sleeper seat while the additional bed sheet provided in the standard bedroll kit is intended as a covering layer under blanket so that blanket is not in direct touch with the body of passenger. This blanket cover sheet is washed after single use.
As a pilot initiative to enhance passenger experience, blanket covers are being provided to all AC class passengers in trains operated by North Western Railway and in newly launched Vande Bharat Sleeper Train operating between Kamakhya and Howrah. This initiative has been widely appreciated by the passengers.
Whito-Meters are used in all mechanised laundries to check the effectiveness of cleaning of linen. CCTV cameras have been installed across laundries over IR to monitor laundry operations.
Indian Railways has also initiated the pilot project of using automated AI-camera stain detection technology in laundries at Pune Division, Central Railway and Jaipur & Jodhpur division, North Western Railway for ascertaining the quality of washed linen.
The Codal life of various linen items is prescribed under the extant Railway rules and is reviewed periodically based on usage, condition and serviceability. Linen items found unserviceable are withdrawn and replaced in accordance with the prescribed norms. The prescribed service life of various constituents of the linen kit is as under:
| S. No. | Item | Codal Life |
| 1 | Bed sheet | (a) 12 months for Handloom linen
(b) 24 months for Polyvastra supplied by KVIC |
| 2 | Pillow cover | 9 months |
| 3 | Face Towel | 9 months |
| 4 | Pillow | 24 months |
| 5 | Woollen Blanket | 24 months |
This information was provided by the Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
