Bhubaneswar, June 12: Nearly three months after the Bhubaneswar station was adjudged seventh in the country in a cleanliness survey conducted by the IRCTC, the city administration is now taking measures to ensure that its vicinity is equally clean.

The station had competed with 407 other railway stations in the survey held in March.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation will draw up plans to frame a separate guideline that will ensure complete cleanliness around the city railway station. The current move of the civic body came as part of a directive issued by the ministry of urban development recently.

According to the proposed guidelines, the civic body will make arrangements for dustbins at convenient locations and dispose of municipal solid waste collected in these bins. The civic authorities will also have to provide mobile toilets on the railway station premises to prevent defecation on the tracks and nearby areas.

Following his visit to the railway station on February 16, Bhubaneswar municipal commissioner Krishan Kumar had tweeted: "Sanitation around railway station not up to mark. Fines to be levied on railway station manger, hotels and vendors today. Will enforce same."

"We have found that the railway station and the bus stand areas in the city are highly polluted and unclean. We had taken a number of measures in the past to ensure cleanliness in these areas. However, we also need public participation in the drive. This time, we will enforce the rules in a stringent manner. The violators will be fined accordingly," said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.

Henceforth, the railway authorities will remain responsible for cleanliness of the interior parts of the station. They will ensure that all platforms are kept clean. The waste from platform and railway tracks will be disposed of in accordance with the municipal rules. The railway authorities will also have to maintain records of waste management in the area.

A few places inside the station area have become open dump yards, while at some other places, garbage bins are overflowing. Many passengers have complained against the foul stink from these dustbins.

"It's just difficult to look at the railway tracks in the station and the stench is simply unbearable. The platforms are, however, more or less clean," said a passenger Sukanya Mishra.

"It is good that the station came seventh in the cleanliness survey. Now, the authorities should shift its focus to regular cleaning of the tracks. This is a beautiful station and should be maintained properly," said Mishra.

A senior railway official, however, said: "We maintain cleanliness on the platforms and the waiting hall areas, but it is difficult to do the same on the tracks. Nearly 100 trains pass by these tracks everyday. We have time and again requested people not to use toilets when the train is stationed, but they hardly abide by it."

The vicinity of the station also needs immediate attention. It has visibly become an open-air toilet for the nearby slum dwellers. Only one Sulabh toilet is there outside the station apart from a few inside the railway station.

"Public toilet or urinal in this station area is a necessity. Railway station or bus stand must have bathrooms. The administration should look into this matter," said Sukanta Nath, a local resident.