Railways will help recharge phones of passengers if they use plastic bottle crushing machines installed at stations in a bid to promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to junk single-use plastic.

In his Independence Day speech, Modi had appealed to the nation to eliminate single-use plastic and find alternatives to plastic water bottles on a priority basis.

Railways have issued directions that from October 2 this year, single-use plastic will not be used on its premises.

Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav has said that railways will 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. Currently, 160 bottle crushing machines are available at 128 stations, he said. He also said that instructions have been given to railway staff to 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. A pledge will be administered to cut the use of plastic on October 2.