New Delhi, Apr 2 (UNI) Indian Railways has logged highest ever electrification of sections covering 6,015 Route Kilometer (RKM) in single year during 2020-21, becoming environment friendly and providing boost to energy security.
A lot of emphasis has been given to Railway Electrification in recent years with a view to reduce the Nation’s dependence on imported petroleum-based energy and to enhance the country’s energy security, with a vision of providing eco-friendly, faster and energy-efficient mode of transportation, Ministry of Railways said in a statement.
It plans to fully electrify its tracks by December 2023 to contribute to the goal of ‘net zero’ emissions by 2030 by drawing its entire electrical load from renewable energy sources.
Despite COVID pandemic, it has surpassed the previous highest of 5,276 RKM achieved in 2018-19.
The latest Broad Gauge network of Indian Railways is 63,949 Route kilometer (RKM) and with 740 km of Konkan Railway is 64,689 RKM, out of which 45,881 RKM i.e. 71 % have been electrified by March 31, 2021.
Indian Railways has also commissioned a record 56 TSSs ( Traction Sub Stations ) during 2020-21, as against previous best of 42, which is an improvement of 33% despite COVID pandemic.
A total of 201 Traction Sub Stations have been commissioned during last seven years as well.
Some of the Major sections electrified by the Indian Railways over the year are: Mumbai-Howrah via Jabalpur, Delhi-Darbhanga-Jaynagar, Gorakhpur-Varanasi via Aunrihar, Jabalpur-Nainpur-Gondia- Ballarshah, Chennai-Trichy, Indore-Guna-Gwalior-Amritsar, Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur, New Delhi-New coochbehar-Srirampur Assam via Patna & Katihar, Ajmer-Howrah, Mumbai-Marwar and Delhi-Moradabad-Tanakpur.
