In a significant step towards more ecologically friendly train travel, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have partnered to replace traditional plastic bedroll bags on trains with biodegradable ones. The program was officially launched on August 15, which is India’s Independence Day. Approximately 40,000 environmentally friendly bags were delivered by 25 trains that left from major ports in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh. The in-house research team at IIT-Guwahati created the bags, which are completely compostable and made to break down swiftly without endangering the environment. Instead of using single-use plastic packaging, which usually adds to train waste, they are being utilized to give linen to passengers.
The transition to biodegradable materials is anticipated to help conserve natural resources, cut carbon emissions, and drastically reduce landfill waste, according to NFR. The action is a component of Indian Railways’ larger initiative to adopt ecologically friendly procedures. Rapid railway line electrification, solar power generation, rainwater collection, and bio-toilet installation are just a few of the numerous green measures that the NFR has already put into action. Notably, to safeguard elephants along susceptible railroad segments, AI-based intrusion detection systems have also been implemented. For Indian rail travelers, the biodegradable bedroll bags represent a modest but significant step toward more environmentally friendly travel.
