The Bacteria Inoculums Generation Plant and Testing Laboratory recently inaugurated by the NFR at the Kamakhya Coaching Depot. (Photo courtesy: CPRO NFR)
Maligaon, April 24 (MExN): In what is described as a significant step towards enhancing onboard sanitation and hygiene, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has commissioned a state-of-the-art Bacteria Inoculums Generation Plant and Testing Laboratory at the Kamakhya (KYQ) Coaching Depot.
According to a press release issued by the NFR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), this initiative makes NFR the first railway zone in India to integrate both the production and quality assurance of bio-toilet inoculums under one facility.
The plant is designed to ensure a consistent and certified supply of Anaerobic Microbial Inoculums (AMI), a key component in the functioning of bio-toilets that enables the decomposition of human waste, it said.
The newly inaugurated facility has a production capacity of 2,000 litres per day.
With in-house manufacturing, the cost of producing inoculums has been reduced significantly while maintaining DRDO-certified quality standards, the release said.
A dedicated in-house laboratory at KYQ will oversee weekly testing and quality control of the AMI used in coaches, it added
As per the NFR, in March 2025 alone, NFR supplied 35,000 litres of inoculums to all its coaching depots, a move expected to further improve the performance and maintenance of bio-toilets across its network.
NFR stated that this development aligns with its broader mission to provide a clean, hygienic, and eco-friendly travel experience.
Bio-toilets are part of the Indian Railways' sustainability drive, and NFR has also implemented other initiatives such as Onboard Housekeeping Services (OBHS) and mechanised cleaning at stations and depots, it added.
