Religious leaders may soon promote cleanliness in trains

Religious leaders from all faiths may be roped in to promote cleanliness in India's trains because people listen to them, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said in Panaji on Saturday.

Prabhu, who was speaking during the final session of a Goa government-organised knowledge exchange summit on e-governance, said that more than the railways itself, it was up to the passengers as far as maintaining hygiene in trains and platforms was concerned.

"We are thinking of roping in religious leaders for helping us maintain cleanliness. People listen to religious leaders, and by this I mean religious leaders of all religions including all sects," Prabhu said.

He said the move could go a long way in maintaining cleanliness in India's trains and platforms.

Prabhu said this while responding to a question on how the government could use surveillance technology to help improve cleanliness in trains and premises owned by the Indian Railways.

"Cleanliness involves three things -- cleanliness of stations, cleanliness of tracks and cleanliness inside the coaches. Of these, the stations and coaches are the responsibility of not just the railways but also the passengers," Prabhu said.

He said train toilets were already being changed to stop the system of open defecation that was currently prevalent.

Prabhu said the Railways was planning a "Swachh Rail, Swachh Bharat" drive, where a senior official will visit each of the railway stations and begin cleaning it, like the Swachh Bharat campaign "to create awareness".

"We plan to do it from January 26," he said.