Railways outsource job of keeping rodents away

NEW DELHI: Concerned over unhygienic conditions in train coaches and its base kitchens, the Railways have outsourced the job of keeping the coaches free of rodents and cockroaches to professional agencies, the Rajya Sabha was told on Friday.

It is the leftover food that bred cockroaches and other pests on the trains, creating problems of hygiene. The task of dealing with pests has been given to professional agencies, Minister of State for Railways R Velu said in a written reply.

The minister said the railways have received reports about instances of food being prepared in unhygienic conditions in railway's base kitchens. A committee, formed by the Delhi high court, has made certain recommendations for improvement of railways kitchens, he said.