This document outlines procedures for identifying and treating bed bug infestations in railway coaches. It describes bed bug biology and signs of infestation. The procedures include checking coaches for bed bugs, detaching infested coaches for treatment, removing and washing curtains, and applying chemical treatments over multiple days using different chemicals each time. Coaches are observed after treatment and put back in service if no bed bugs are found after a month. Formats are provided to record inspection results and chemical treatment details.

1. 1
Identification of Bed bugs Presence in Railway coaches and Treatment
Introduction:
1. Bed bugs are small wingless parasitic insect. The name bed bugs formed as its
close association with human sleeping beds.
2. Bed bugs association with humans more than 3000 years.
3. Bed bugs can survive in wide range of temperature and atmospheric conditions.
4. Female bed bug plays 3 to 4 eggs each day continuously until the end of life span,
possibly generating as many as 500 eggs.
5. Adult bed bugs grow upto ¼’’ long. Their shape is oval and flattened.
6. Nymphs, eggs and adults are visible to the naked eye.
7. A bed bug egg is about size of grain of rice.
8. A bed bug can take six times its weight in blood, they will feed every 5 to 10 days.
9. Its life span is about 06 to 09 months, however they can survive without feeding
for 80 to 140 days.
10.Humans are preferred host of bed bugs and they tend to feed on any bare skin that
is exposed. They usually feed on their hosts without being noticed.
11.Bed bugs are mainly active at night (10 pm to 06 am).
12.Bed bug pierces the skin of its host with two hollow tubes. One tube insects’
salvia which contains anesthetics, so that the host feels nothing and so that the
blood flows out freely. The other tube sucks the blood in.
13.Feeding takes about five minutes, after that the bug returns to its hiding place.
14.In fact bed bugs are thrive in areas where there is an adequate supply of available
hosts and plenty of cracks and harborages (a place of shelter) within 1.5 mtrs of
the host.
15.According to survey the most common infested places are mattress, cracks,
premises, joint gaps in bed frames, inside furniture and upholstery & within the
pleats and frills of curtains.
16.Railways is experiencing bed bugs presence in the coaches based at Southern
and South Western Railways and all out efforts are initiated at SBC and BBQ
depots. In South Central Railway, off late many complaints are received in all
divisions.

2. 2
Annexure - 1
A. Procedure for checking of bed bugs in the coaches:
I. The bed bug search team shall check minimum 06 to 08 coaches per shift per
person.
II. The team should carry the hand bag equipped with 07 items i.e.,
Torch light with
sharp beam
Sharp tool like a
screw driver
Spray gun for
the application
of insecticide
Pocket note book
Nose mask Bottle for collection
of bedbugs
Hand gloves
III. Bed bugs often lodge in dark crevices, cracks, seems in mattress, joint
gaps, bed frames behind head rests and in bed side furniture etc.,
IV. Adult bed bugs are 04mm to 06mm in length, oval in shape and dark
reddish brown in color.
V. Juveniles are 1.5mm in length, cream in color and becoming red to
blackish after blood meal.

3. 3
VI. They often lodge in dark crevices and the tiny adhesive eggs can be
nested by the 100’s in fabric seems.
VII. Fecal spots, small dark sand like droppings that occur
especially in curtains and around the berths.
VIII. Important sign to find out the bed bugs is blood smears on sheets,
decloum (fecal spots that are revitted with smear like fresh blood) and
presence of their empty molted exo skeleton.
IX. The bed bug search team should check thoroughly in the following areas
of the coaches to find out the presence of bed bugs.
Berth Corners
Berth brackets

4. 4
Bottle Holders
Berth Handles
Berth beadings
Berth beadings

5. 5
Snack Tables
Crevices of berths & Holes
Curtains, Taps & Frills

6. 6
X. Concerned panels / joints beadings where the above said signs (I to VII)
are noticed they should be opened with the help of screw driver.
XI. Scratch the eggs and spray the chemical (Insecticide suggested by the
Pest control agency) which was brought along with BST.
Curtain pleats Berth Holding Chain Covers

7. 7
Annexure - 2
B. Procedure to be followed by inspecting staff after noticing bed bugs
1. The bed bug search team shall record the coach-wise details as shown
below in their hand book.
i. Train No. ii. Coach No
iii. Berth No. iv. Location
v. No. of bed bugs collected vi. No. of eggs noticed
2. Presence of Bed bugs / Eggs formation are noticed on curtains, the BST
should be immediately informed to Rake Maintenance supervisors for
replacement of curtains.
3. If any bed bugs are found same should be collected in a water bottle,
these should be treated by spraying the chemical with hand sprayer.
4. After chemical treatment thoroughly cleaning has to be done with vacuum
cleaner.
5. Bed bug effected coach is kept under observation for 03 Trips.
6. If bed bugs are noticed consecutively for 03 trips and No. of bed bugs
noticed more than 20 Nos. in a coach, the coach has to be detached from
service for further special treatment.
7. The same procedure is to be followed in all allotted AC coaches.
8. Feedback to be submitted to the concerned supervisor.

8. 8
Annexure - 3
C. Procedure to be followed for infected curtains by Curtain removing staff
1. After receiving the information from the concerned Rake maintenance Engineers,
all the curtains of the coach to be removed carefully.
2. Removed curtains to be wrapped in canvas bag before taken out from the coach
Otherwise they may fall off and spread the infestation.
3. Removed infected curtains are to be kept separately to avoid spreading of bed
bugs.
4. These curtains to be sent to Mechanized laundry for Washing of infected curtains in
Boiling water at 100o C.
5. Mechanized cleaning staff should take utmost care during washing of infected.
6. These curtains to be washed in boiling water at 100oc for a minimum period of one hour
to kill the all type of bed bugs (Eggs, Nymphs etc.,)
7. Curtains should be washed separately in Washer cum extractor in Mechanized
Laundry.
8. All the stages of bed bugs and eggs are killed during the treatment.

9. 9
Annexure - 4
D. Procedure to be followed for Bed bug eradication after detachment of Coach
1. If bed bugs are found after repeated observations of 03 to 04 trips. The coach has to be
detached for Special treatment.
2. Before going to the chemical treatment, all the curtains of the coach has to be removed
and sent to Mechanized laundry.
3. These curtains to be washed at above 100oc for a minimum period of one hour to kill the
all type of bed bugs (Eggs, Nymphs etc.,)
4. Chemical treatment minimum 03 times is required to eradicate bed bugs.
5. Same chemical should not be used consequently hence, the coach should be
disinfected with the following procedure.
Day
Coach
No.
Chemical used
Qty of
chemical
Ratio of
chemical
No. of staff to
be engaged
Time to be
kept the coach
in closed
condition
Area to be
covered
No. of bed
bugs
collected
0 Detached
1 Fenthion + DVVP
60ml +
30ml
22ml per
Ltr
02 48 Hrs. Full coach
2
Fenthion +
Deltamethrin
60ml +
30ml
22ml per
Ltr
02 48 Hrs Full coach
3
Fenthion +
Propuxure
60ml +
30ml
22ml per
Ltr
02 48 Hrs. Full coach
4
Quickpos
Aluminium
bromide
fumigation tablets
48 hrs
5 If no bed bugs are noticed the coach to be given fit for traffic
6. Hot air blow gun is to be used to kill the bed bugs / eggs formation in all crevices
and berth flaps etc.,
7. After successful completion of chemical treatment the coach to be cleaned
thoroughly with vacuum cleaner.
8. The coach to be kept under observation for a period of one month.

10. 10
Annexure – 5
Format for checking of bed bugs
S.
No.
Train
No.
Coach
No.
1st
Checked
date
Available
of bed
bugs
Yes/No
No. of
bed
bugs
2nd
Checked
Date
Available
of bed
bugs
Yes/No
No. of
bed
bugs
3rd
Checked
Date
Available
of bed
bugs
Yes/No
No. of
bed
bugs
Annexure- 6
Format for infected coach under observation
S.No.
TrainNo.
CoachNo.
Previouschecked
date
Checkedby
Availabilityofbed
bugsYes/NO
Actiontaken
Presentchecked
Date
Checkedby
Availabilityofbed
bugsYes/NO
Actiontaken
Presentchecked
Date
Checkedby
Availabilityofbed
bugsYes/NO
Presentchecked
Date
Checkedby
Availabilityofbed
bugsYes/NO
Actiontaken
Annexure- 7
Format for chemical treatment
Day
Coach
No.
Chemical used
Qty of
chemical
Ratio of
chemical
No. of staff to
be engaged
Time to be
kept the coach
in closed
condition
Area to be
covered
No. of bed
bugs
collected
0 Detached
1 Fenthion + DVVP
60ml +
30ml
22ml per
Ltr
02 48 Hrs. Full coach
2
Fenthion +
Deltamethrin
60ml +
30ml
22ml per
Ltr
02 48 Hrs Full coach
3
Fenthion +
Propuxure
60ml +
30ml
22ml per
Ltr
02 48 Hrs. Full coach
4
Quickpos
Aluminium
bromide
fumigation tablets
48 hrs
5 If no bed bugs are noticed the coach to be given fit for traffic