Indian Railways Considers Shift to Manpower-Based Station Cleaning Contracts

The Ministry of Railways is considering a change in the way station cleaning contracts are awarded, with a proposal under review to replace the existing outcome-based model with a manpower-based contract system at selected railway stations. As part of the exercise, the Railway Board has asked all 18 railway zones to submit their views on the proposal, including detailed justifications and the financial implications of switching to the new system. “A proposal for review of the extant instructions mandating outcome-based cleaning contracts for stations and adoption of a manpower-based contract system for station cleaning activities is under consideration in the Railway Board,” the Ministry’s letter, dated August 5, 2026, addressed to the General Managers of all zones, said, as per PTI. “In order to consider the proposal in a comprehensive manner, it is requested that the detailed justification for considering the proposal may be furnished to the Board’s Office along with the total financial implication in the format enclosed as an annexure,” it added, according to PTI. At present, station cleaning contracts are awarded under an outcome-based system, where private agencies are responsible for maintaining prescribed cleanliness standards irrespective of the number of workers deployed. Under the proposed manpower-based system, contractors would instead be required to deploy a fixed number of cleaning personnel at stations. Railway zones have been asked to identify stations where such a model could be implemented and estimate the associated financial impact. The review comes as the ministry evaluates whether different categories of stations require different approaches to cleaning operations, depending on passenger footfall, infrastructure and operational requirements. According to railway officials, the move does not necessarily indicate a complete shift away from the current model but could pave the way for a station-specific approach. “I think the Railway Ministry wants to introduce a hybrid, need-based model. At some stations, it is more important to ensure the deployment of a particular number of cleaners than to use highly advanced cleaning equipment. In such cases, the manpower-based model is not only suitable but also cost-effective,” a senior railway official said, as per PTI. He added, “On the other hand, at some large and important stations, technology-driven cleaning is a better and more cost-effective option than deploying a large number of people for the same purpose.” If approved, the revised policy could allow Indian Railways to adopt different cleaning contract models based on the operational needs of individual stations, balancing manpower deployment, technology and overall costs while maintaining cleanliness standards.