Indian Railways has reached a significant milestone by electrifying 95 percent of its extensive 68,000-kilometer track network, making it the world’s largest green railway system, according to Mukul Saran Mathur, Additional Member of the Railway Board. This achievement places India at the forefront of sustainable rail transport, surpassing electrification efforts in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which stand at 56 percent, 38 percent, and just one percent, respectively.
Speaking at the ASSOCHAM National Conference, Mathur highlighted the importance of this development for India’s railway modernization. He noted that Indian Railways serves over 20 million passengers daily and recently operated more than 5,000 special trains to support migrant workers during challenging times. He also described the Vande Bharat trains as a flagship example of India’s modernization in rail transport.
The Indian government has allocated approximately $1.02 billion (INR 85,000 crore) for railway expansion in the 2023-24 fiscal year. This investment is improving the ticketing system, reducing refund processing times to just one or two business days. Since 2014, Indian Railways has invested over $56 billion (INR 46,425 crore), and by December 2023, its fleet will include 10,238 electric locomotives, significantly outnumbering the 4,543 diesel engines still in service. While the complete phase-out of diesel engines will take time, there has been substantial progress in transitioning to electric engines.
In the fiscal year 2023-24 alone, Indian Railways electrified 7,188 kilometers of track, with major routes like Ahmedabad-Rajkot-Okha (310 miles), Bengaluru-Talguppa (230 miles), and Bathinda-Firozpur-Jalandhar (187 miles) now fully operational under electric traction. This push towards electrification represents more than just an infrastructure upgrade; it signifies a commitment to sustainability, with projections showing a 24 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2027-28.
The conference emphasized that railway modernization is vital for India’s economic growth and the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047. Sanjay Bajpai, co-chairman of the National Council on Logistics and Warehousing, highlighted the importance of technology, such as AI and machine learning, in improving railway operations and achieving complete cargo visibility and last-mile connectivity under the Gati Shakti plan.
Overall, the electrification initiative is not only an environmental advancement but also a driver of economic growth, generating jobs during construction, decreasing reliance on imported fossil fuels, and positioning Indian Railways as a modern and efficient engine of the nation’s economy.
