As part of the ongoing World Environment Day 2026 campaign, Mumbai Central Division of Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR) are carrying out a series of environmental awareness and sustainability initiatives.
Drive Conducted by WR:
Between May 23-26, campaign saw active participation from railway staff, vendors, passengers, NGOs and members of the public across the division.
According to a press release issued by the Chief Public Relations Officer, Western Railway, Vineet Abhishek, in order to promote eco-friendly practices and discourage the use of plastic, special inspection drives were conducted at vendor stalls to ensure compliance with the ban on single-use plastic items. Vendors and suppliers were also encouraged to adopt recycled alternatives instead of virgin plastic products. As part of the initiative to reduce plastic waste generation, inspections were conducted at almost 140 water refill points across railway premises. Passengers were encouraged to refill and reuse water bottles as a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles. Public announcement systems at several stations were also utilised to spread awareness regarding plastic pollution and environmentally responsible practices.
Passenger awareness drives and outreach programmes were organized at various stations to promote restricted use of disposable plastic items. Nukkad Natak performances and interactive awareness activities were also conducted with support from NGOs and participating organizations to sensitise the public regarding environmental protection and the harmful impact of plastic pollution.
The Division also undertook cleanliness drives at stations and railway premises to reinforce the importance of maintaining clean and hygienic surroundings and to promote a greener railway environment.
Through these initiatives, Mumbai Central Division of Western Railway continued to promote environmental sustainability and public participation towards building a cleaner, greener and more eco-conscious future.
CR's Plan:
CR also intensified its environmental awareness and anti-plastic campaign across stations, workshops and railway divisions, focusing on waste segregation, reduction of single-use plastics and sustainable practices.
The campaign, launched on May 15 across CR’s five divisions, has involved railway staff, passengers, vendors, NGOs and schoolchildren through seminars, workshops, street plays, awareness rallies and inspections at railway premises.
“Central Railway remains committed to sustainable infrastructure reforms and appeals to passengers to actively support efforts to keep railway premises free of single-use plastics,” said Dr. Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway.
As part of the initiative, Mumbai Division carried out checks at station vendor stalls to reinforce the ban on single-use plastics and encouraged vendors to switch to biodegradable alternatives. Public announcement systems at stations were also used to advise commuters to carry reusable water bottles instead of purchasing packaged water bottles.
A major focus of the campaign has been the use of Plastic Bottle Crushing Machines (PBCMs) installed at stations to promote proper disposal and recycling of plastic waste. At Nashik Road station, passengers were urged to use the crushing machines, while a new PBCM was inaugurated at the Solapur coaching depot.
A unique aspect of the campaign was a seminar at Matunga on reducing microplastic pollution from flexible packaging waste. Employees were trained to partially cut liquid pouches such as milk and oil packets in a manner that keeps the cut portion attached to the packet, preventing small plastic fragments from entering the environment.
Campaign activities were conducted across Mumbai, Bhusaval, Nagpur, Pune and Solapur divisions along with railway workshops at Matunga, Sanpada and Nashik Road.