In a recent update from Indian Railways, passengers of Vande Bharat trains will get 500 ml Rail Neer bottles instead of the regular 1 litre previously provided by Indian Railways. This shift comes as a measure to minimise water wastage and optimise resources in a more efficient manner.
Every passenger on the Vande Bharat train now will be issued one 500 ml Rail Neer Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) bottle. Additionally, passengers have the option to request an extra 500 ml bottle from the train staff without paying any amount.
Read more: Discovering Kargil’s mountains, culture and attractions
Deepak Kumar, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northern Railway, said that this decision aims to minimise the unnecessary consumption of potable water. By offering smaller 500 ml bottles, the Railways intend to better align with the shorter travel distances typically associated with Vande Bharat trains compared to longer-haul journeys like those on Rajdhani trains.
This move echoes a similar initiative implemented on Shatabdi trains, where passengers also received 500 ml Rail Neer bottles instead of the larger 1 litre ones, recognising the limited water requirements for journeys lasting up to 8.5 hours.
In a broader effort to promote water conservation, Central Railways has been actively using recycled water for coach and platform cleaning, harnessing approximately one crore liters of recycled water daily through 32 recycling plants.
Additionally, rainwater harvesting units have been installed at 158 locations, and the establishment of three automatic coach-washing plants has further contributed to water conservation efforts. Furthermore, Central Railways has undertaken extensive afforestation projects, planting five lakh trees across various sites to restore and sustain the local ecosystem.
About Vande Bharat Trains
The Vande Bharat Express trains, inaugurated in 2019 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have become an integral part of India’s rail network, serving over 40 routes across the nation. The maiden journey commenced on February 15, 2019, with Prime Minister Modi flagging off the inaugural train on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi route.
Read more: Discovering Kargil’s mountains, culture and attractions
These trains operate at semi-high speeds and are equipped with a plethora of contemporary amenities. Passengers aboard can enjoy features such as WiFi connectivity, expansive glass windows offering panoramic views, enhanced footrests for added comfort, and spacious overhead racks to accommodate luggage, among other conveniences.