Railways' Jhansi workshop turns coach scrap into bio-toilets for rural stations
Synopsis
Indian Railways' Jhansi workshop has turned discarded coach parts — FRP lavatory modules, bio-tanks, water tanks — into fully functional modular bio-toilets at four NSG-6 rural stations in UP and MP. It's a rare instance of a public infrastructure solution that costs less, wastes less, and delivers more — and it could be a replicable blueprint for thousands of similarly under-served small stations across the network.
Key Takeaways
The CMLR Workshop, Jhansi built modular bio-toilets using scrap components from decommissioned passenger coaches.
Installations completed at Matatila , Jiron , and Jakhora (Lalitpur, UP) and Basai (Datia, MP) — all NSG-6 category stations.
Reused components include FRP lavatory modules , bio-tanks , and water tanks recovered during Periodic Overhauling (POH) .
Entire fabrication and installation was done by the workshop's in-house workforce , reducing costs and external dependency.
NSG-6 stations serve passengers with annual footfall up to 10 lakh and earnings up to ₹1 crore — historically under-resourced for passenger amenities.
Officials describe the model as 'Waste to Wealth' and a potential template for other workshops across the railway network.
The Coach Mid-Life Rehabilitation (CMLR) Workshop in Jhansi has repurposed scrap components salvaged from decommissioned passenger coaches to construct modular bio-toilets at four small railway stations in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, Indian Railways announced on 20 August. The initiative, built entirely by the workshop's in-house workforce, delivers improved sanitation at NSG-6 category stations that previously offered only bare-minimum passenger facilities.
Where the Bio-Toilets Have Been Installed
The modular units have been set up at Matatila, Jiron, and Jakhora stations in the Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh, and at Basai station in the Datia district of Madhya Pradesh. All four fall under the NSG-6 classification — the lowest rung in Indian Railways' non-suburban station hierarchy — reserved for stations with annual earnings of up to ₹1 crore and annual passenger footfall of up to 10 lakh.
How the Reuse-Refurbish-Rebuild Model Works
'The key feature of this initiative is the effective utilisation of useful and reusable components recovered from coaches during Periodic Overhauling (POH). These components include Fibre-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) lavatory modules, bio-tanks, water tanks and other reusable coach accessories. Instead of treating these components as scrap, they were inspected, cleaned, repaired and refurbished, wherever required, before being put to further use,' a senior railway official said.
The entire fabrication and assembly process — covering inspection of FRP modules, repair and refurbishment, fabrication of supporting structures, assembly of toilet units, and provision of water, sanitary, plumbing, and drainage connections — was carried out by the CMLR Workshop's own staff, with no external contractor involvement reported.
Why This Matters for Rural Passengers
NSG-6 stations primarily serve passengers from surrounding rural and semi-urban areas. According to railway officials, clean and accessible toilet facilities at such stations are especially critical for women, children, senior citizens, and Divyangjan (persons with disabilities). Despite their low revenue profile, these stations play a meaningful role in connecting marginalised farming communities to markets.
This is also an exercise in cost efficiency. By drawing on components that would otherwise be discarded, the workshop has reduced dependence on new materials and lowered the overall cost of installation — a model officials describe as 'Waste to Wealth'.
Broader Context: NSG-6 Stations and the Infrastructure Gap
Indian Railways classifies non-suburban stations on a six-tier scale — NSG-1 to NSG-6 — based on earnings and footfall. Thousands of NSG-6 stations exist across the network, predominantly in rural India, and have historically received limited capital investment for passenger amenities. The CMLR initiative represents a practical, scalable template for addressing that gap without requiring fresh budgetary allocation.
Notably, this is not an isolated experiment — it reflects a wider push within Indian Railways to institutionalise resource-efficient solutions at the grassroots level. Whether the model will be formally scaled to other workshops and districts remains to be seen.
Point of View
It demonstrates that the infrastructure deficit at India's smallest stations need not wait for a capital outlay cycle. The real question is institutional: Indian Railways has thousands of NSG-6 stations and multiple workshops capable of replicating this model, yet there is no announced policy to scale it. A one-off workshop experiment and a systemic upgrade programme are very different things. If Railways formalises this as a standard operating procedure across all CMLR and POH facilities, it could meaningfully shift the baseline of rural passenger amenities. Until then, it remains an admirable local innovation rather than a network-wide solution.
NationPress
20 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CMLR Workshop initiative for rural railway stations?
The Coach Mid-Life Rehabilitation (CMLR) Workshop in Jhansi has repurposed scrap components — including FRP lavatory modules, bio-tanks, and water tanks — recovered from passenger coaches during Periodic Overhauling to build modular bio-toilets at four NSG-6 category rural stations in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The entire process was carried out by the workshop's in-house workforce at a lower cost than conventional construction.
Which stations received the new bio-toilets?
The modular bio-toilets were installed at Matatila, Jiron, and Jakhora stations in Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh, and at Basai station in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh. All four are classified as NSG-6 stations, the lowest tier in Indian Railways' non-suburban station hierarchy.
What is an NSG-6 station?
NSG-6 is the lowest category in Indian Railways' non-suburban station classification system, covering stations with annual earnings of up to ₹1 crore and annual passenger footfall of up to 10 lakh. These stations typically offer only basic amenities such as a booking office, drinking water, toilets, and seating.
Why is the 'Reuse-Refurbish-Rebuild' model significant?
The model allows Indian Railways to deliver passenger infrastructure at rural stations without fresh capital expenditure by recovering and refurbishing components that would otherwise be scrapped. Officials say it promotes a 'Waste to Wealth' philosophy and reduces dependence on new materials, making it a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly approach.
Can this model be replicated at other stations?
Railway officials have described the initiative as a template for resource-efficient infrastructure development, but no formal policy to scale it across other workshops or districts has been announced as yet. India has thousands of NSG-6 stations, many of which face similar amenity gaps.
