New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS): To improve cleanliness on-board trains and stations, the Indian Railways on Tuesday announced the creation of an exclusive wing for integrated management of all housekeeping activities.

According to the railways, the new wing would manage all housekeeping activities on-board trains and at railway stations.

"This (wing) has been named as "Environment and Housekeeping Management Directorate". This (wing) was created after incorporating certain administrative and structural changes," a railways statement said.

The statement elaborated that the integrated housekeeping wing is being set up in all the 16 zonal railways.

"In the first phase, the integrated housekeeping will be done in northern, south-central and southern railways. After its successful implementation, it will be further introduced in other zonal railways also," the statement said.

The move envisages the employment of professional housekeeping service providers to bring in latest technology and know-how into the sector.

Currently, housekeeping activities are managed by three different departments of the Indian Railways. This had posed limitations in improving the standards of housekeeping.

"The unification of the management of housekeeping activities will help in synergising the efforts, as well as inputs for achieving the best results in this regard," the statement said.