Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 2 : Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability by signing two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) at the General Manager's Conference Hall, NFR Headquarters, Maligaon, officials said on Saturday.
The event, chaired by Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, General Manager of NFR, witnessed participation from senior officials along with all DRMs and CWMs via video conferencing, including representatives from the Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA), Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) and Kusum Udyog.
Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, CPRO of Northeast Frontier Railway, said that, under the first MoU, a tripartite agreement has been established among NFR, PCBA, and Kusum Udyog to develop Guwahati Railway Station into a 100% plastic recycling hub.
"A dedicated six-member task force led by the Station Superintendent, Guwahati, has been constituted to steer the initiative. Efforts include improving garbage storage infrastructure, operationalising a compost-making plant and organising frequent passenger awareness drives. With the expertise of PCBA and the operational role of M/s Kusum Udyog, a PCBA-authorised recycler, a robust recycling ecosystem initiative that aims towards establishing sensitisation campaigns was created," Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said.
He further said that the second MoU, signed with IIT Guwahati, focuses on the introduction of biodegradable and compostable bags to replace the existing packets used for bedroll distribution in AC coaches.
"The pilot will begin with the Brahmaputra Mail operating between Kamakhya and New Delhi, with plans to scale the same initiative across all Guwahati and Kamakhya-based trains and eventually to the entire NFR network. This initiative merges collaborative research with field-level implementation, targeting a shift towards eco-friendly, passenger-conscious alternatives. The occasion reflected NFR's unwavering commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "Transformation by Transportation" for the Northeast region. By integrating environmental sustainability into its operational framework, NFR continues to lead in creating a cleaner and greener railway ecosystem for the zone." Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said.