New Delhi: Indian Railways will now help the passengers to recharge phones if they use plastic bottle crushing machines installed at stations in a bid to promote Narendra Modi's initiative to junk single-use plastic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech, had appealed to the country to eliminate single-use plastic and find alternatives to plastic water bottles on a priority basis.

According to news agency, PTI, Railways have issued directions that single-use plastic will not be used on its premises from October 2 this year. VK Yadav, the Railway Board Chairman has stated that railways will now install 400 bottle crushing machines at stations in which a passenger wanting to use them will have to key in his phone number into the machine and his phone will be recharged. However, details of the recharge were not known immediately.