Patna: The railways will deploy onboard housekeeping staff (OBHS) on all long-distance mail and express trains taking 40 hours or more to complete their journey, aiming to improve cleanliness and passenger comfort.East Central Railway (ECR) chief public relations officer (CPRO) Saraswati Chandra said the staff would clean coaches and toilets throughout journeys and promptly address passengers’ complaints about sanitation and housekeeping.Under the ECR, the facility is available on several long-distance services, including the Dibrugarh–Lalgarh, Saharsa–Ahmedabad, Danapur–Bengaluru, Supaul–Pune, Katihar–Amritsar, Rajgir–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and Saharsa–Amritsar Garib Rath Express trains.Premier trains originating within the ECR jurisdiction, including the Tejas Rajdhani Express, already have the facility. Its extension to other eligible services is expected to ensure regular cleaning and quicker resolution of complaints during long journeys.Chandra said the ECR undertakes primary maintenance of 159 train rakes, of which 81 have OBHS facilities. The initiative is part of the railways’ efforts to strengthen onboard housekeeping and improve the overall travel experience.OBHS facilities are also available on all Vande Bharat Express trains operating on the Patna–Howrah, Patna–Ranchi, Patna–Gomti Nagar, Patna–New Jalpaiguri and Patna–Tatanagar routes under the ECR jurisdiction, sources said.
