Indian Railways targets to achieve net zero carbon emission by 2030

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National News

Jul 13, 2020

2:40PM

Indian Railways targets to achieve net zero carbon emission by 2030

@RailwaySeva

Indian Railways has stepped up its efforts to become a Green Railway within a span of 10 years. It has set the target to achieve net zero carbon emission by the year 2030. Railways has taken a number of initiatives for mitigation of global warming and combating climate change to achieve the Green Railway status. Electrification of lines, improving energy efficiency of trains, green certification for installation and stations, fitting bio toilets in coaches and switching to renewable sources of energy are parts of Railways’ strategy for achieving net zero carbon emission.

Indian Railways has completed electrification of more than 40 thousand route kilometres which is 63 per cent of the total broad gauge routes. More than 18 thousand six hundred kilometre electrification work has been completed during the last six years. Railways has fixed a electrification target of seven thousand route kilometres for this financial year. All routes on the broad gauge network have been planned to be electrified by the end of year 2023. In all, 365-kilometre major connectivity work has been commissioned during COVID pandemic period.

Indian Railways is also promoting solar and wind energy. One Hundred megawatt capacity solar plants have been commissioned and 400 megawatt plants are under different stages of execution. In addition, Railways is trying to produce power from land-based solar installations for running trains. Railways has 51 thousand hectare of land potential of installing 20 giga watt land based solar plants. One project of 1.7 mega watt at Bina in Madhya Pradesh in collaboration with BHEL has already been installed.

In the wind energy sector, 103 megawatt wind-based power plants have already been commissioned in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Railways has also planned to set up 200 megawatt wind energy plants in the next two years in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Karnataka. Railways has started other green initiatives like hundred per cent LED illumination of buildings and stations. A total of 69 thousand coaches have been fitted with more than two lakh 44 thousand bio-toilets.