Change.Org/SwachhRail

Initiative to cleanup endless plastic waste along tracks of Indian Railways

Recent train rides across India (such as one from Ernakulam, Kerala in the south to Mumbai, Maharashtra in the west to Haridwar, Uttarakhand in the north and Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh in the east) have been marred by an unimaginable level of plastic trash strewn endlessly alongside tracks. As a child of the Indian Railways this sight has been profoundly sad and heartbreaking, prompting my search for practical solutions to cleanup, restore our environment and revive the pride and joy associated with travels on Indian Railways.

The volume of single-use plastic waste seen along all railway tracks and stations from coast to coast on all major travel corridors is staggering. A Google image search of "India Railway Track Waste" captures the unimaginable scale of the problem. It poses not only an aesthetic problem but also threatens our precious environment with irreparable damage of non-biodegradable plastics. According to a study by Science Advances, India generates about 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste daily (Source: Science Advances). A significant portion ends up in places where it shouldn't be - like our beloved Indian railways.

Support Change.Org/SwachhRail petition to help realize the cleanup we seek. Contribute your own solutions and ideas so that the most promising and economical solution can be implemented by the Indian Railways expeditiously to help save our environment and in turn make Indian Railways the envy of the world.