Ahmedabad’s Kankaria Coaching Depot achieves water neutrality through advanced wastewater recycling, reducing freshwater usage while setting a benchmark for sustainable and eco-friendly railway operations in India.

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• Kankaria Coaching Depot in Ahmedabad has become India’s first water neutral railway depot, treating and reusing nearly all water consumed in daily railway operations.
• The depot saves around 1.60 lakh litres of water every day, which is equivalent to more than 300 household water tanks, reducing dependence on freshwater sources.
• Water neutrality ensures that wastewater generated within the depot is fully treated and reused, minimizing environmental discharge and promoting sustainable industrial practices in railway maintenance.
• The depot uses phytoremediation, a natural treatment process where plants absorb pollutants and purify wastewater generated from coach washing and maintenance activities efficiently.
• A multi-stage treatment process is followed, including wetland filtration, sand and carbon filtration, and UV disinfection to ensure water quality meets safety and reuse standards.
• The initiative results in annual water savings of approximately 5.84 crore litres, highlighting its large-scale environmental impact and potential for replication across railway systems.
• Reduced freshwater usage lowers operational costs while also contributing to environmental conservation, making the system both economically and ecologically sustainable.
• The project aligns with environmental norms and sustainability standards, demonstrating how traditional railway depots can transform into eco-efficient and resource-optimized infrastructure.