Bhopal coach factory wins CII Green Platinum honour:Becomes Indian Railways 6th unit to achieve top rating with energy savings sustainable operations

The Passenger Coach Refurbishment Factory in Bhopal has been awarded the prestigious Green Platinum Award by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). With this achievement, the Bhopal unit has become the 6th factory of Indian Railways to receive the highest green certification. It is also the only factory under West Central Railway to secure this top rating, marking a major milestone in sustainable railway operations. Why the Platinum Award was given
CII granted the Platinum rating based on the factory’s strong environmental performance and eco friendly practices. These include effective waste disposal, reduced consumption of electrical and gaseous energy, proper management of materials used in coaches, and a significant cut in carbon emissions. The Platinum rating is the highest level under CII’s Green Certification framework. After a detailed inspection of the facility and verification of all parameters, the CII inspection team recommended the factory for the award. Solar power and energy savings
Over the past year, the factory has taken several steps to promote environment friendly operations. A solar power plant with a total capacity of 711.25 KWH has been installed within the premises. As a result, the factory has reduced its electricity consumption by around 37 %. This has led to an annual saving of approximately Rs 34 lakh in electricity bills, strengthening both sustainability and cost efficiency. Water conservation and reuse measures
Rainwater harvesting systems have been installed in five buildings of the factory to recharge groundwater. Through this initiative, nearly 29 lakh liters of rainwater are recharged underground every year. In addition, a modern sewage treatment plant with a capacity of 5 lakh litres per day has been set up. Equipped with advanced tertiary and ozone treatment facilities, the plant currently treats about 3.5 lakh litres of sewage water daily. This treated water is reused for gardens, bio tanks and coach washing, completely eliminating the use of fresh water for these activities. Green cover, certifications and future plans
In the last two years, around 1,000 saplings have been planted across the factory campus, spread over 400 acres, of which 41 % is green built area. The factory is already certified under various ISO management systems related to quality and environment. This year, it also received the Diamond Certificate from the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Safety Council. Chief Factory Manager Prafulla V Kohade congratulated all officers and staff for their dedication, stating that consistent maintenance and teamwork made this achievement possible.