Eco-friendly Coimbatore Junction: Indian Railways is taking various measures to transform into a Green mode of transport. In this regard, many railway stations across the country are being acknowledged by Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for adopting sustainable Green practices. Recently, Coimbatore Junction railway station in the state of Tamil Nadu has been awarded Platinum rating by IGBC. According to the Railway Ministry, Coimbatore Junction of Southern Railways is the sixth railway station in the Indian Railways network to get a Platinum rating by IGBC. IGBC, part of CII, is the premier body for green certification and other related services.
Last month, the New OPD Block of Railway Hospital in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh was also granted a Platinum rating recognition under the category of ‘New Service Building’. The OPD Block is the first such service building to be bestowed with a Platinum rating by the Council, according to the South Central Railway zone. A few months ago, IGBC had also re-certified the New Delhi railway station (NDLS) with the Platinum Green Station rating. Earlier this year, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station in the city of Mumbai became the first railway station in Maharashtra to be awarded Gold certification under CII’s IGBC rating system.
The Green Railway Stations rating is the country’s first-of-a-kind holistic rating, which aims to address environmental sustainability in stations across the nation. The key objective of this rating system by IGBC is to facilitate the adoption of environment-friendly concepts, thereby reduce the adverse environmental impacts because of maintenance and operation of railway stations, as well as enhance the overall experience of railway passengers at railway stations. It is said that this IGBC system of rating stations helps the station management to understand their current position with respect to the railway station’s ‘green performance’ and also, the measures that are required to be taken in order to improve the performance.
