Howrah Station Leads the Way in Cleanliness Awareness with “Swachhta Ka Sankalp – Every Passenger’s Duty Campaign”
Sanchita Chatterjee, Howrah July 26, 2025:
The historic Howrah Railway Station today transformed into a vibrant platform for spreading the message of civic responsibility through the observance of “Swachhta ka Sankalp – Har Yatri ka Kartavya Abhiyan” (A Commitment to Cleanliness – Every Passenger’s Responsibility). The awareness program, held in the old complex of Howrah Station, was a collaborative effort between the Howrah Division of Eastern Railway and the NGO “Rights For All”, under the leadership of Divisional Railway Manager, Shri Sanjeev Kumar. The event, organized by Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer (EnHM and Freight), Shri Satendra Kumar Tiwari, aimed to emphasize the importance of passengers’ roles in maintaining station hygiene by adopting responsible habits such as using dustbins, refraining from littering and spitting, and avoiding single-use plastics.
The event was graced by the presence of senior railway officials, including Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Coaching and Trainset), Shri Abhinav Bansal; Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Loco), Shri Umesh Verma; Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer (EMU), Shri Koushik Pan; Divisional Commercial Manager, Shri Harinarayan Gangopadhyay; and Station Director, Shri Ajay Kumar Rai. Adding further prestige to the program was the presence of distinguished guests — Padmashri awardee Prof. Dr. Indira Chakravarty, a renowned public health expert; Dr. Sufia Zaman, eminent environmental scientist and social thinker; Shri Ajay Kumar Shaw, Director, Arti Hospital; Dr. Chaitali Das, Social Entrepreneur and Clean Bengal Ambassador; and Pandit Mallar Ghosh, an internationally acclaimed rhythm maestro.
The event began with a powerful Nukkad Natak (street play) performed by Natakwala Kolkata, which vividly depicted the harmful effects of littering and highlighted the collective benefits of maintaining cleanliness. Following the felicitation of guests and officers, the program featured a special musical performance by Pandit Mallar Ghosh, which enthralled the audience. A recorded video message from the legendary singer Usha Uthup further reinforced the importance of passenger awareness and responsibility in ensuring a clean railway environment.
The program concluded with a spirited Awareness March across Platforms 8 and 9, in which railway officials, NGO volunteers, and cadets from Scouts & Guides and NCC actively participated. The participants interacted with passengers, raised awareness through slogans, and distributed informative leaflets and eco-friendly paper bags as alternatives to plastic.
This collaborative initiative successfully transformed one of India’s busiest transport hubs into a platform for civic education, leaving a lasting impression on thousands of commuters and reaffirming the Howrah Division’s commitment to a cleaner and greener railway network.