Train garbage problem gets a new fix: Indian Railways develops 367-litre disposal system to reduce overflowing bins & onboard litter

Indian Railways has developed a high-capacity garbage disposal system for LHB coaches in a bid to tackle overflowing bins, onboard litter and repeated manual handling of waste during long-distance journeys.

The new system, developed by the Wagon Repair Workshop in Jhansi, can hold 367.4 litres of waste, compared with around 18 litres in the existing arrangement, according to a report by TOI.

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The innovation has been designed to allow waste collected inside the coach to be stored in an undergear collector, which can then be emptied during maintenance after the journey.

How does the new Indian Railways garbage disposal system work?

The system consists of a garbage drop box, a connector and a large undergear collector.

Passengers can dispose of waste through the drop box, from where it is transferred to the collector installed beneath the coach. This increases the available storage capacity substantially and reduces the need to empty bins repeatedly during a journey.

According to TOI, the new collector has a capacity of 367.4 litres, more than 20 times the approximately 18-litre capacity of the existing arrangement.

Why has Indian Railways developed a larger garbage collector?

Overflowing bins and litter inside trains can become a major hygiene concern, particularly on long-distance journeys when existing bins need to be emptied multiple times.

The new system is aimed at addressing this problem by allowing a much larger quantity of waste to be stored until the train reaches a maintenance facility.

Officials said the system uses available space beneath the coach without disturbing existing undergear or structural components.

New garbage system uses stainless steel for durability

The disposal system has been made using stainless steel, which is expected to provide greater durability, corrosion resistance and a longer service life.

The undergear collector features a specialised 3:10 taper design, allowing it to be removed quickly for emptying and maintenance.

The drop box and collector can also be cleaned independently from both sides, helping improve hygiene and control odour.

What happens to the garbage after a train journey?

The collector is designed to be emptied during maintenance after the journey rather than requiring repeated manual emptying while the train is in service.

According to TOI, the arrangement could reduce multiple rounds of manual garbage handling during long-distance journeys.

This could also help reduce the chances of overflowing waste being left inside coaches or thrown along railway tracks.

Will the new garbage disposal system be introduced across trains?

The system is currently at the prototype stage and has been submitted to the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) for inspection and approval.

CPRO NCR Shivam Sharma said any modifications suggested by RDSO during the inspection would be incorporated before further implementation.

“The innovation has already been submitted to the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) for inspection and approval. Necessary modifications, if suggested by RDSO during inspection, will be incorporated before further implementation,” Sharma said, according to TOI.

How much will the new railway garbage bin cost?

The estimated assembly cost of each disposal bin is around Rs 12,000. Each coach will have two bins, positioned at both exits, according to the report.


Inputs from agencies