If you are taking a train on October 2 (Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday and a national holiday), don’t be surprised if you see your local Parliamentarian wielding a broom, sowing a plant or engaged in any activity to promote cleanliness at railway stations.

For instance, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is likely to be in Patna station, while Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Bhubaneswar station, going by the assurances given by them to Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda, who had requested all his Cabinet colleagues and MPs to spare some time and engage in keeping the Indian Railway network clean.

This will be a part of sustainable action by the Railways to promote cleanliness and regular events will be organised, Gowda said this in a conference here on Thursday. The Railway Minister, however, did not disclose which station he would visit on October 2 as he does not want the station to be cleaned up in advance. But, he did say that toilets and kitchens were the first points that he visits whenever goes to a station.

During this ‘mission cleanliness’, 13 lakh rail employees will do their bit by physically getting engaged or by spreading awareness.

The mission aims to ensure that stations, tracks, colonies and offices are clean and hygienic .The campaign includes tree plantation, removal of encroachments, maintaining clean toilets, painting of road kerbs, clearing posters, repairing street lights, improving drainage, improving signage and whitewashing buildings.

Incidentally, Railways has selected 50 stations that will be outsourced for cleanliness.

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