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Guwahati, Oct 7 (IANS) Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has launched a series of pioneering initiatives across its network to promote environmental sustainability and achieve the objectives of the Indian Railway Mission 2030, officials said on Tuesday.
Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), NFR, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that amidst these efforts, the transformation of Guwahati Railway Station, on its way to becoming India’s first 100 per cent plastic recycled station, is an important initiative in sustainable railway operations.
He said the initiative is being planned through a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) between NFR, Assam Pollution Control Board and a local authorized recycler with technical support from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati.
The CPRO said the initiative combines scientific innovation, regulatory compliance and practical execution to create a replicable model for effective plastic waste management across the region.
Under this programme, Sharma said NFR has implemented a comprehensive plastic waste management system that includes colour-coded dustbins for segregation, bottle crushing machines, compost units and QR code-based monitoring for real-time efficiency tracking.
Eco-friendly compostable bags developed by IIT Guwahati have replaced single-use plastics in trains, significantly reducing plastic waste generation.
To further promote awareness and encourage public participation, NFR has organized several “waste-to-art” exhibitions, nukkad nataks, Scouts and Guides awareness drives and digital campaigns at various stations.
Chief spokesperson of NFR said that these efforts have promoted environmental consciousness among passengers, vendors and railway employees.
As a result, vendor compliance has reached 100 per cent, passenger hygiene complaints have declined by 60 per cent and the overall station ambience has improved markedly, he said.
Building on these achievements, NFR plans to expand the 100 per cent plastic recycling station model to nine more stations in its network.
The initiative aims to make the entire region cleaner, greener and more environmentally responsible, Sharma said.
The Northeast Frontier Railway operates in the northeastern states and seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of North Bihar.
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