Patna: East Central Railway (ECR) has launched a special drive to ensure the availability of safe drinking water for passengers, railway employees and residents of railway colony areas following directives issued by Railway Board.ECR chief public relations officer (CPRO) Saraswati Chandra said Danapur division of ECR has installed chlorination plants at major stations, including Patna Junction, Rajendra Nagar Terminal and Danapur, to ensure proper disinfection of drinking water supplied to passengers and staff. A proposal has also been prepared for installation of chlorination plants at other important stations including Kiul, Mokama, Bakhtiyarpur, Fatuha, Nawada, Jehanabad, Rajgir, Ara and Buxar, he said.The move is aimed at strengthening the water purification system across the division. The division has also intensified the cleaning of water storage tanks. Out of a total of 3,644 water tanks across Danapur division, cleaning work has been started on a war footing. Railway teams are inspecting water supply infrastructure, replacing damaged pipelines and using disinfectants to prevent contamination in water, CPRO said.The measures have been prioritised in view of the increasing cases of waterborne diseases during the season, he said. The railways has directed all their divisions to undertake similar cleanliness and water safety drives to maintain hygienic conditions at railway stations, colonies and other railway premises, he added.kumodverma@gmail.com
