Piyush Goyal: 'Govt planning full electrification of railways within next 3-4 years'

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that the Government plans full electrification of Indian Railways in the next 3-4 years to control the carbon emissions of the Indian Railway. 

'World's first carbon emission-free railway'

"Railways are continuously increasing electrification for a better, pollution-free future. The electrification of the entire railway has been targeted in the next 3-4 years, making it the world's first carbon emission-free railway," he tweeted.

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Piyush Goyal says Indian railways will soon be net-zero

Earlier, Piyush Goyal said that the Government is working towards making Indian railways the world's first net-zero railway to help reduce environmental pollution. This is important because according to NITI Aayog data, carbon dioxide emission from the Indian Railways was around 6.84 million tons in 2014. 

"By 2030, we are working to make the Indian railways the world's first net-zero railway. The Government is phasing out the old coal plants, which is going to help reduce environmental pollution, and will also create the demand for new plants and spur the investment cycle," he had said.

In September, the Ministry of Railways and Confederation of Indian Industries signed a Memorandum of Understanding, In order to foster the green initiatives in the country. The major objectives of the MoU signed in between CII and Indian Railways was the efficiency in manufacturing facilities, greening of the railway properties, demonstrative pilots of net-zero energy buildings, development of green procurement policy, waste management policy, solid waste disposal, carbon neutrality, and phytoremediation, among other things. 

According to a PIB report, the Ministry of Railways has planned to set up 1000 Mega Watt (MW) solar power by 2020-21 which would help Railways to source about 10% of its electrical energy from renewable sources. Another initiative aimed at the substitution of 20% Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) with solar energy-based DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit).

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(Inputs from ANI)