Around 250 stations have been provided with the facility of water vending machines (WVMs) by Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) for providing pure drinking water to passengers at nominal rates. IRCTC has awarded licenses for installation of 2500 WVMs over Indian Railways out of which 832 numbers of WVMs have been commissioned. Ministry of Women & Child Development and NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) have also agreed to facilitate installation and operation of WVMs with the help of Self Help Groups over various D, E & F category Railway stations.
WVMs are to be operated round the clock either through operator or in automatic mode. In order to ensure quick disposal of complaints against the working of the installed WVMs, a toll free number 1800-111-139 has been provided by IRCTC on which passengers may lodge their complaint regarding malfunctioning of WVMs.
This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 2 December 2016.
