India’s Railways dept spends Rs24m to catch 168 rats

LUCKNOW: Catching a rat is no big deal but the Lucknow division of India’s Railways department has spent a staggering amount of INR 69.5 lakh [Rs24 million approximately] to catch just 168 rats.  

According to Indian media, the Right to Information (RTI) application directed at the Northern Railways was filed by an activist Chandrashekhar Gaur, who is based out of Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch.

In its response, the Lucknow division said it spent INR 69.5 lakh [Rs24 million approximately] between 2020 and 2022 to catch 168 rats, which means INR 41,000 [Rs146,265.20] per rat.

Gaur’s had filed an RTI directing the entire Northern Railways, which has five divisions including Delhi, Ambala, Moradabad, Lucknow and Ferozepur, seeking the amount spent on catching the rats. However, only the Lucknow division gave a reply to Gaur.

Gaur’s RTI had also asked about the value of the damage caused by the rats, which was evaded by the Lucknow division. “Details not available for damaged goods and items. No assessment of damage has been made,” the Lucknow division.

Responding to another question about who catches the rats, the division said Lucknow-based M/S Central Warehousing Corporation has been given a contract since 2019 to catch the rats.

In its reply to the RTI query, the Ambala division stated that it spent INR 39.3 lakh for treatment against pests, rats and fumigation between April 2020 and March 2023. The division, however, did not mention separate expenses and the number of rats caught in its reply.

On the other hand, the Delhi division said they have given a contract for pest and rodent control in passenger trains without giving out more details in its reply.

Railways’ clarification

Meanwhile, the Lucknow division of Northern Railways rejected the claim, saying it is a “misrepresentation of reality and distortion of facts” aimed at “harming the reputation” of Indian Railways.

“The pest and rodent control work in Lucknow division is executed by M/s Central Warehousing Corporation, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow which is a Government of India undertaking.”

“Total cost as mentioned in the article of INR23.2 lakh per year in the comprehensive control of cockroaches, rodents, bed bugs, mosquitoes extra in all coaches maintained at Lucknow Division,” it added.

It further stated, “This cost is for attention of rodent control in average 25000 coaches / year. This comes around INR94 per coach attention. This is very minimal cost considering the damage, destruction which can be caused by the rodent”.