Guwahati: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has undertaken a series of innovative initiatives aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and advancing Indian Railways’ Green Mission 2030. At the forefront of these efforts is the transformation of Guwahati Railway Station into India’s first 100% plastic recyclable station—a landmark step in sustainable railway operations.
This transformative project is being implemented through a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NFR, the Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA), and a local authorized recycler, with technical support from IIT Guwahati. The collaboration integrates scientific innovation, regulatory oversight, and ground-level execution to create a model framework for plastic waste management that can be replicated across the region.
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Under the programme, NFR has introduced a comprehensive plastic waste management system featuring colour-coded dustbins for waste segregation, bottle-crushing machines, composting units, and QR code-based monitoring for real-time efficiency tracking. In addition, eco-friendly compostable bags developed by IIT Guwahati have replaced single-use plastics in trains, helping to significantly reduce plastic waste generation.
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To promote environmental awareness and public participation, NFR has also organized a range of outreach activities including “Waste-to-Art” exhibitions, Nukkad Nataks, Scouts & Guides awareness drives, and digital campaigns across various stations. These initiatives have resulted in 100% vendor compliance, a 60% reduction in passenger cleanliness complaints, and a visibly improved station ambience.
Encouraged by the success at Guwahati, NFR now plans to expand the 100% plastic recyclable station model to nine additional stations within its network. With this, the railway zone aims to move closer to creating a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable transportation ecosystem for the Northeast and beyond.
