Title - Railways ties up with NGO for waste management

New Delhi -- The unpleasant site of filth scattered around platforms and tracks in the Capital could soon be a thing of the past if the railways has its way. To tackle the problem of solid waste generated at major stations in the Capital, the Delhi division of the northern railways has tied up with an NGO, which would be responsible for disposing of waste, earlier dumped at nearby sites. "The project will be started at the New Delhi station initially and would later be replicated at other major stations in the Capital. The NGO would be responsible for collecting the solid waste and disposing it," said a senior railway officer. The NGO could cover its costs by recycling the waste gathered from the station. According to rough estimates, 15 tonne of waste is generated at New Delhi station alone while in old Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations, the figure of waste generated is around eight to 10 tonnes everyday. "Three major stations of Delhi - New Delhi, Old Delhi and Nizamuddin - handle around 10 lakh passengers everyday and it becomes very difficult to dispose the waste ourselves. The NGO would employ rag pickers, who are also expected to benefit from the project," the officer added. The railway is also planning to extend the onboard housekeeping services in Rajdhani and Garib Rath trains.