“Indian Railways Powers Ahead with Electrification”

Indian Railways has become one of the most highly electrified railway networks in the world. Almost the entire broad-gauge railway network of about 70,000 route kilometres is now run on electric power. By November last year, more than 99 percent of the network had already been electrified, marking a major achievement for the railways.

The speed of electrification has increased greatly over the years. Between 2004 and 2014, Indian Railways electrified only about one and a half kilometres of track per day. However, in the last six years, this pace has jumped to more than 15 kilometres per day, showing a strong push towards faster and cleaner transport.

Along with electrification, Indian Railways has also focused on using renewable energy. Its solar power capacity has grown significantly, reaching nearly 900 megawatts by November last year. This is a huge increase compared to less than four megawatts of solar power capacity in 2014.

These efforts have helped reduce fuel costs, lower pollution, and make railway operations more efficient and environmentally friendly. The move towards electric and renewable energy is also part of Indian Railways’ larger goal of becoming a greener and more sustainable transport system.