To promote Prime Minister Modi's initiative to put a stop single-use plastic, Indian Railways will be installing plastic bottle crushing machines at stations, a PTI report said. Further, those who use the machine will be rewarded with phone recharges.

According to the report, Railways have issued instructions to eliminate single-use plastic at its premises starting 2 October.

Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said the Railways department will install 400 bottle crushing machines at stations, wherein passengers who wish to use them will have to key in their phone numbers into the machine and have their phone recharged. However, details of the recharge were not immediately known.

There are 160 bottle crushing machines available at 128 stations at present. He also said that the railway staff will collect all the used plastic bottles at railway stations and send them for recycling.

Earlier, the ministry had issued instructions to all its vendors and staff across its network to use reusable bags to reduce plastic footprint.