New Delhi station turns to ‘waste power’

The Delhi Division of Northern Railway is in the process of setting up a waste-to-energy plant

Waste generated at the New Delhi railway station will be segregated into bio-degradable and recyclable waste. Biodegradable waste will be converted into electrical energy and manure. Electrical energy will be utilised by the Railways, most likely at the New Delhi railway station itself.— File Photo

Very soon, the waste generated at New Delhi railway station will not only be recycled but also be used to produce electricity to light up the station.

The Delhi Division of Northern Railway is going to set up a waste-to-energy plant, that will turn the garbage and other waste collected at the station into electricity and manure.

Waste generated at the New Delhi railway station will be segregated into bio-degradable and recyclable waste. Biodegradable waste will be converted into electrical energy and manure. Electrical energy will be utilised by the Railways, most likely at the New Delhi railway station itself.

“It is yet another green initiative by the Northern Railway’s Delhi Division and the bio methanation plant at the New Delhi Railway station will be ready by June 2016,” said Delhi Divisional Railway Manager Arun Arora.

“The municipal solid waste (MSW) handling capacity of the plant at New Delhi will be 15 tonnes per day,” he adde. The Railway Board has nominated RITES as the nodal agency for tendering for the waste-to-energy plant. It has floated an open tender on “two packet system”, which will open on February 22.

“The Railways will bear the capital cost of the plant. After commissioning of the municipal solid waste pilot plant, the contractor will operate and maintain it for the next five years. The expected life of the plant shall be a minimum of 12 years,” Mr. Arora said.

Approximately 2,000 units of electricity produced (three phase, 415V) in the waste-to-energy plant per day will be purchased by the Railways from the contractor at the rate at which electricity is supplied to local municipal domestic users. Additionally, the Railway may also procure manure from the contractor.

Mr. Arora said nearly 15,000 sq. metre of land will be required for this project, as well as 50 KW of electric power supply and 12 kilo litres water per day at chargeable basis for operation of the plant.

“It will be also mandatory on part of the contractor to provide facility of water recycling so that water requirement remains minimum,” he said.