In the northeast part of India, Indian Railways is rapidly electrifying its rail network. The aim is to become a Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030.
“Driven by the goal of #NetZeroCarbonEmission, Indian Railways is accelerating electrification efforts in the Northeast. With 937 RKM tracks electrified, IR paving the way for a greener and more efficient rail network in the region,” informed the Ministry of Railways on X, on Tuesday.
It is pertinent to mention here that 14 States/UTs have already been 100% electrified by Indian Railways till now. As of June 2023, 59,096 Route kilometers (RKM) of the Broad Gauge network of Indian Railways (IR) have been electrified. Out of which, 37,011 RKM have been electrified during the last nine years only.
To reduce its carbon emissions, the national carrier has taken several initiatives which include the use of energy-efficient technologies like:
a) Fully switching over to the production of three-phase electric locomotives with regenerative features
b) Use of head-on-generation (HOG) technology
c) Use of LED lights in buildings and coaches, star-rated appliances, water conservation, and its management and afforestation.
Additionally, the key methods that have been determined for reaching the Net Zero Carbon emission target are procurement of power through renewable energy sources and shifting from diesel to electric traction. Also, efforts are being put on the promotion of energy efficiency.