The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan inititiative seems to have made an impact on the commuters of Central Railway (CR) with the number of littering and spitting cases dropping by as much as 50 per cent this yea
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan inititiative seems to have made an impact on the commuters of Central Railway (CR) with the number of littering and spitting cases dropping by as much as 50 per cent this year compared to last year.
The Abhiyan, which was started in October last year even had senior railway officials going down to the railways stations on the mainline as well Harbour to keep tab on commuters. It resulted in only 160 cases being registered every month on an average as compared to the average 320 cases per month that were recorded in the previous years. The drive was not as seriously followed this October but its effect seems to have made an impact on Mumbaikars.
“Back in 2012 we had earned around Rs 6.5 lakh but this year we have earned only Rs 1.37 lakh. This kind of loss in revenue is welcomed since it raises the consciousness and overall commuting habits to a higher level, like we see in Europe where commuters are very courteous to each other and have a strong civic-sense,” said a senior CR official requesting anonymity.
The railway imposes a fine of Rs 500 on anyone who spits, urinates, defecates, deface, feed animal or birds, repair or wash vehicles, wash utensils or clothes on railway premises in a rule that was implemented as recently as 2012. Many educational education institutions as well local residents have adopted stations closest to them in the past one year as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan campaign.
