Railways on track to meet target of 100% electrification by Dec

New Delhi: Indian Railways is maintaining its end-of-year target to fully electrify its broad-gauge network, a feat that would require an intensive push to electrify over 6,000 route kilometers (RKM) within the next six months.

According to people aware of the development, the December deadline for electrification is unchanged. Progress on the entire 6,226 RKM is underway, with explicit instructions issued to contractors to wrap up all tasks by year's end.

If this endeavor comes to fruition, it will mark a landmark achievement for the railways, which have never before electrified more than 6,565 RKM in a single fiscal year. To fulfill this objective, the railway must now complete a similar amount of work in a mere six months.

The RKM, a railway industry metric, signifies the distance between two railway points, irrespective of the number of lines connecting them.

As of the end of June, Indian Railways had achieved over 90% electrification of its broad-gauge routes. The most recent data from the Railway Electrification Directorate indicates that 59,096 of the total 65,350 RKM of broad-gauge lines were electrified, comprising 90.43% of the total network.

This electrification drive is predicted to yield significant savings on the annual fuel bill for the railways, which currently stands at over ₹15,000 crore. The project is also in line with India's pledge to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070. In addition, Indian Railways has set its sights on reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, solidifying its position as the world's most substantial green railway network.

According to Indian Railways, electrification was fully completed across 14 states and union territories as of June 30, 2023. Additionally, more than 90% electrification was achieved in six states, and around 75% in five other regions. The only lag in progress is evident in the northeastern states, where work is yet to kick off in all states, excluding Assam.

Since 1948, an estimated 22,000 RKM have been electrified. The pace picked up substantially in FY18 when more than 4,000 RKM were electrified for the first time. This momentum has been maintained over the past three years, with over 6,000 RKM consistently electrified each year.