Vijayawada Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh has been certified as a “Green Railway Station” with the highest rating of Platinum by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
This is the second railway station in the South Central Railway (SCR) zone to receive this rating, after Secunderabad railway division in Telangana.
Vijayawada Railway Station was previously awarded the Gold Standard Rating by IGBC-CII in 2019.
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Green Railway Stations Rating System
The IGBC-CII Green Railway Stations Rating System is a voluntary initiative that aims to facilitate the adoption of green concepts in railway stations.
The system helps to address national priorities such as water conservation, waste management, energy efficiency, reduced use of fossil fuels, and lesser dependency on virgin materials.
The rating system also helps the station management to understand their current position with respect to the “green performance” of the station and the measures that need to be taken to enhance the performance on a continual basis.
Alchemizing gold to platinum rating!
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) September 6, 2023
An already victorious Gold rating holder, Vijayawada Jn., Andhra Pradesh, earns the highest "Platinum Rating" Certification as a Green Railway Station by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for its significant ecological efforts. pic.twitter.com/0DJMh7GfmH
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Evaluation Process for Green Railway Stations
The Vijayawada Railway Station was evaluated under six modules:
- Sustainable station facility
- Health hygiene and sanitation
- Energy efficiency
- Water efficiency
- Smart and green initiative
- Innovation & development
Features of the IGBC Platinum Certified Vijayawada Railway Station
The station has implemented several green initiatives, including:
- Safe drinking water
- No smoking policy
- Tobacco smoke control
- Fresh air ventilation
- Solid waste management plan
- Plastic-free environment
- Daylighting
Energy-efficient measures such as 5-star rated electrical equipment, LED fixtures, BLDC fans, daylight sensors, energy monitoring, and solar water heaters
Smart and green initiatives such as Wi-Fi facilities, smart card ticketing, food courts, pharmacies, and innovative measures like the Centre for Advanced Maintenance Technology (CAMTECH) design coach watering
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Additional Information about Vijayawada Station
In June 2023, Vijayawada Station became the first station in India to equip platforms with a Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) solar roof, installing a total capacity of 130 kilowatts ‘peak’ (kWp) of solar power.
About the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)
The IGBC is India’s premier certification body for green buildings. It is the founding member of the World Green Building Council.
The IGBC’s vision is to “enable a sustainable built environment for all and facilitate India to be one of the global leaders in the sustainable built environment by 2025.”
Chairman: Gurmit Singh Arora
Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana.
Vijayawada Railway Station gets ‘Green Railway Station Certification’: Key Points
| Certification Name | Platinum Certification as a Green Railway Station |
|---|---|
| Recent Green Railway Certified Station | Vijayawada Railway Station |
| Location | Vijayawada Railway Station, Andhra Pradesh (AP) |
| Awarding Body | Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) |
| IGBC Rating | Highest Platinum rating under IGBC Green Railway Stations Rating System |
| Remarkable Achievement | Second railway station in South Central Railway Zone to attain Platinum status |
| Previous Recognition | Gold Standard Rating from IGBC – CII in 2019 (valid for 3 years) |
| Re-certification (2023) | Demonstrated significant improvements compared to 2019 |
| Objectives of IGBC’s Green Railway Stations Rating System |
|
| Evaluation Criteria |
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| Key Features of Platinum Certified Vijayawada Station |
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| Solar Power Integration | Installed Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) solar roof with a capacity of 130 kWp in June 2023. |
| About Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) |
|
| IGBC Chairman | Gurmit Singh Arora |
| IGBC Headquarter | Hyderabad, Telangana |
