How Often Railways Washes The Bedsheets, Blankets?
How clean are the blankets and bedsheets on Indian Railways? In response to an RTI query, the Ministry of Railways has revealed that while the bedsheets, pillow covers, and other linen provided to passengers in AC coaches are washed after every use, the woollen blankets follow a more relaxed schedule. They are washed “at least once a month, preferably twice,” subject to logistics and capacity constraints.
However, housekeeping staff working on long-distance trains gave a different picture, according to a The New Indian Express report. Many admitted to the daily that blankets are typically washed only once a month. If passengers complain about bad odour or stains, blankets are swapped sooner, but otherwise, they often remain untouched between multiple journeys.
The Railway Ministry clarified that passengers do not pay extra for linen as it is included in the train fare, although optional bedroll kits are available on certain trains like Garib Rath and Duronto for an additional fee. Housekeeping staff explained that bedsheets and pillow covers are bundled and sent for laundry after each journey, but blankets are neatly folded and reused unless visibly dirty or smelly.
A retired officer from the Environment and Housekeeping Management (EnHM) department suggested that Indian Railways should abandon woollen blankets altogether, calling them heavy and challenging to maintain. She remarked, “It’s high time the Railways found lighter alternatives.”
Indian Railways operates 46 departmental laundries and 25 BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) laundries across the country. While the land and machines are owned by the Railways, much of the laundry work is outsourced to private contractors. In some facilities, only the land belongs to the Railways, while both staff and equipment are provided by external operators.
In 2018, former Minister of State for Railways, Rajen Gohain, told Parliament that 65% of the linen is washed in mechanised laundries within railway premises, while the remainder is outsourced. He also highlighted the use of storage depots with racks and compactors to organise clean linen before it is dispatched.
Despite these efforts, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) flagged multiple shortcomings in a 2017 report. It found that storage facilities were inadequate, washing contracts lacked quality enforcement, and inspections were insufficient. Additionally, several laundries failed to meet environmental compliance standards, with some lacking required approvals from pollution boards.
