NEW DELHI: With garbage dumps around railway stations raising safety concerns, the Railway Board is planning to fence the tracks approaching the stations in Metros, where there is also huge encroachment of land by slum dwellers.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has asked the Board to work out a plan so that garbage dumps do not block the tracks and pose a threat to passenger safety.“There is rampant dumping of garbage, plastics and bags along the railway tracks, especially in Metros. We are exploring the idea of installing wire mesh along the border line at locations vulnerable to such mess,” read an order issued by the Railway Board to all Zonal Railways.
The Board has already received proposals from some Zonal Railways on installation of wire mesh. “The garbage dumps invite cattle and other stray animals, which loom around the tracks and hamper movement of trains. Having a wire mesh will block garbage from being thrown within the confines of Railways borders/tracks, and would keep the stray animals at bay,” said a Railway official.
Railways, too, generate huge amount of garbage and plans are being made to have waste-to-energy plants at Railway stations. In the budget speech, Finance minister Arun Jaitley, too, had mentioned about upcoming waste-to-energy plant at Delhi railway station.