Railway electrification got a significant boost this fiscal with a total of 851 Route Kilometre (RKMs) electrified in April to September 2022. This is 51.4 per cent higher than 562 RKMs electrified in the first six months of last fiscal.

Out of 65,141 RKM of broad gauge network of Indian Railways (including Konkan Railways Corporation), 53,098 broad gauge RKM have been electrified, which is 81.51 per cent of the total BG network, said the Railway Ministry in a statement on Friday.

The target set for electrification during this financial year is 6,500 RKMs.

Ambition plan

The Ministry highlighted that record electrification of 6,366 RKMs was achieved in 2021-22. Previously, the highest electrification was 6,015 RKM during 2020-21.

“Indian Railways has embarked upon an ambition plan of electrification of its complete broad gauge network which would not only result in a better fuel energy usage resulting in increased throughput, reduced fuel expenditure but also savings in precious foreign exchange,” the Ministry said.

Zero carbon emitter

The Railways has set a target of 2023-24 to achieve 100 per cent electrification of its network.

The complete electrification of its network is also a part of its strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and become net zero carbon emitter by 2030.

“With 100 per cent electrification, the demand for electricity will go up to about 72 BUs by 2029-30 from 21 BUs in 2019-20,” the Ministry had recently said.

It also expects carbon emission by 2029-30 as per business as usual mode to be 60 million tonne which would be offset by various other measures.

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