Railways' 100% electrification plan faces further delays on complications in NE

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Rajasthan, and West Bengal. The government provided ₹6,500 crore for electrification work in the budget for FY25 which also includes unused funds from the previous year, one of the persons quoted above said. A query sent to the railway ministry remained unanswered till press time.

The electrification drive is expected to reduce the Railways' ₹15,000-crore annual fuel bill. It will also contribute to India’s target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2070. Additionally, Indian Railways has envisioned achieving net zero carbon emission by 2030, and aims to become the largest green railway system globally.

Between 1948 and 2014, about 22,000 RKM were electrified cumulatively. The pace picked up from there, but real acceleration came in FY18 when for the first time over 4,000 RKM were electrified. The pace increased with between 4,000 RKM and 6,000 RKM being electrified consistently for four years till FY22.

Thereafter, it rose to over 6,500 RKM in FY23 and the target was again set for 6,500 km in FY24. But this target was missed as only about 4,644 RKM were added in FY24. At 96.68% electrification, Indian Railway is far ahead of its global peers with electrification reaching just about 56% in the EU, 38% in the UK and just 1% in US.

Switzerland, however, is 99% electrified. Also, the pace of electrifying RKM is the fastest seen in India, at over 16 RKM per day now. This is a big rise from just about 1.2 RKM per day being added between 2004 and 2009 and 1.7 RKM between 2009 and 2014.