Central Railway’s Row-Wise Dustbins Revolutionize Cleanliness on Long-Distance Trains

MUMBAI: Central Railway (CR) is stepping up its efforts to improve cleanliness on long-distance trains departing from Mumbai by installing dustbins next to every row. This new initiative, which has been implemented as part of a trial, aims to tackle the recurring issue of unclean coaches. The initiative began earlier this month with the 11057 Mumbai CSMT – Amritsar Express train and is set to expand to other long-distance routes.

So far, two trains are trialing the installation, and feedback from passengers has been overwhelmingly positive. In the air-conditioned coaches of the Amritsar Express, leg-operated, stainless steel bins have been placed under the windows, strategically positioned beneath the tray tables. This move ensures that passengers can dispose of their waste more easily while traveling, addressing the longstanding issue of overflowing and unemptied garbage bins in the trains.

CR officials reported that complaints related to cleanliness have decreased significantly, with a marked improvement noted on their ‘Rail Madad’ app, which previously saw up to 12 complaints daily regarding unclean coaches. Authorities are committed to further extending this initiative across additional AC coaches of long-distance trains over the next few days, with provisions in place to replace garbage bags every hour.

Given the high risk of theft, the officials are exploring the possibility of adding a lock system to the dustbins. This innovative approach is expected to make a significant difference in the passenger experience and cleanliness standards on Indian Railways.