The Indian Railways has set a goal of becoming Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030 and has taken up several initiatives to cut down its carbon emissions. It plans to channel energy efficient technologies for its use. The Indian Railways is transitioning entirely to the manufacturing of three-phase electric locomotives equipped with regenerative features, adopting head-on generation (HOG) technology, incorporating LED lights in both buildings and coaches, star-rated appliances, implementing water conservation and management practices, and actively engaging in afforestation.
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Another such measure is electrification. The electrification of Indian Railways will also help save on the annual fuel bill.
100% electrification in states/UTs
Earlier in July 2023, the government revealed that as of June 30, 2023, 59,096 Route kilometers (RKM) of Broad Gauge network of Indian Railways (IR) had been electrified. Out of this, 37,011 RKM had been electrified in nine years. The government also released a list showing the status of electrification in states and UTs, adding that 14 States/UTs had been 100% electrified
Let’s take a look at the Electrified BG RKM figures as on June 30 in the states/UTs
Chandigarh – 16, Chhattisgarh – 1,199, Delhi – 183, Haryana – 1,701, Himachal Pradesh – 67, J&K – 298, Jharkhand – 2,558, Madhya Pradesh – 4,822, Meghalaya – 9, Odisha – 2,822, Puducherry – 21, Telangana – 1,858, Uttar Pradesh – 8,482, Uttarakhand – 347, Bihar – 3,614, Andhra Pradesh – 3,841, Tamil Nadu – 3,659, Maharashtra – 5,441, West Bengal – 3,682, Kerala – 947, Gujarat – 3,435, Punjab – 1,915, Rajasthan – 4,387, Goa – 147, Karnataka – 2,844, Assam – 801. The figures for Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura stood at 0.
Sustainable mode of transportation
Railway electrification presents a sustainable and efficient mode of transportation, devoid of environmental pollution and reliance on fossil fuels. From India’s independence until 2014, only 21,413 route kilometers (RKMs) of railway tracks were electrified. However, between 2014-2023, India has witnessed a remarkable acceleration in electrification efforts, with an unprecedented 37,011 route kilometers (RKM) of tracks being electrified.
Significantly, nearly 50% of the total electrification occurred between 2019-2023. Indian Railways has set an ambitious target to emerge as the world’s largest green railway, achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030. Notably, it has already accomplished full 100% railway electrification in 14 states/Union Territories, marking substantial progress towards this commendable objective.
Latest update on Indian Railways electrification effort
In a latest update, the government revealed that the Indian Railways is moving towards its Mission 100% Electrification by 2023-24. It said that 6,565 Route Kilometre (RKM) electrification was achieved in the financial year 2022-23, surpassing the previous highest of 6,366 RKM seen in the financial year 2021-22. By October 2023, about 60,451 RKM had been electrified, making the electrification 92% complete.
About 30% of total rail electrification was completed in the last 3 years, the government added.