YES Bank to install water purifiers at 1,000 railway stations

In a unique public-private-initiative (PPP), YES Bank has collaborated with Indian Railways to provide community water purification systems at 1,000 railway stations across India by 2019, an official said here on Friday.

The project will see the bank install the systems at 100 D and E category railway stations in Maharashtra's Konkan coastal belt and other parts of the state by next month (March), said Yes Bank Group President and Country Head Namita Vikas.

"It has already been installed at around 50 stations in Konkan region and more are being rolled out at smaller stations with an average footfall of 1,000 pax per day providing them with clean and safe drinking water," Vikas said.

The project boasts of no reject water and minimal electricity consumption for water purification thus reinforcing the bank's sustainability focus for the mega-initiative, she added.

Explaining the concept, Vikas said the bigger railway stations have water sellers and the passengers or commuters using them are economically better off compared to D and E category stations.

Targetted at the population in the lower strata, YES Bank provided access to safe and clean drinking water to around 62,500 people through household and community purification systems in rural Maharashtra last year, she said.

The initiative is in sync with the Centre's vision to make safe and clean drinking water available to rail passengers and modernise railway stations.

"Our aim is to aid the existing efforts undertaken by the government and ensure a high socio-economic impact through community-led interventions," Vikas said.