Western Railways Goes The ‘Swachh’ Way: New Self-Propelled ‘Muck Train’ To Clean Tracks On Mumbai Suburban Network

The Indian Railways, taking a step towards ‘Swachh Bharat’, has launched a unique self-propelled ‘muck train’ on the Mumbai suburban section to transport garbage collected on railway tracks, Financial Express reports.

A 25 year-old EMU rake consisting of four coaches has been modified at the Mahalakshmi workshop for the purpose, Western Railway spokesman Ravinder Bhakar informed. The rake has two driving coaches and two motor coaches.

Bhakar said that seats and partitions were removed from inside the rake and various cleanliness signs and images have been painted on the outside to communicate the ‘Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ message.

The report states that the garbage dumped on the sides of the railway tracks defaces not only the railways but also clogs various drainage lines leading to logging of water on tracks during monsoon.

Bhaskar added that the EMU rake will help save cleaning time too as there will be no need to reverse the locomotive at either of the ends.

The Piyush Goyal-led Railways ministry has taken various other steps to ensure that the railway tracks are clean like installing environmental-friendly bio-toilets in coaches to come under the purview of the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’.