Overview

• On August 15, the initiative placed about 40,000 compostable bedroll bags on trains originating from Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.
• The bioplastic bags were developed by IIT Guwahati’s research team led by Professor Vimal Katiyar in collaboration with NFR leadership.
• Northeast Frontier Railway expects the transition from single-use plastic to biodegradable materials to reduce landfill waste and lower carbon emissions.
• The Kamakhya inoculum generation plant is designated to recycle used bedroll bags for reprocessing into new biodegradable packaging.
• Officials present the effort as a scalable model within Indian Railways’ broader sustainability program, although independent performance data remain forthcoming.