NEW DELHI. Indian Railways has achieved a major milestone by becoming the biggest electrified rail system globally, with nearly its entire 70,000 route-kilometre broad-gauge network now running on electric traction. By November last year, more than 99 per cent of the network had been electrified, reflecting a transformative shift toward cleaner, more efficient rail operations and significantly reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
The pace of electrification has accelerated dramatically, rising from about 1.5 kilometres per day between 2004 and 2014 to over 15 kilometres per day during the past six years. Alongside this, Indian Railways has strengthened its commitment to renewable energy, with installed solar power capacity increasing from less than four megawatts in 2014 to nearly 900 megawatts by November last year, underscoring its focus on sustainability and energy efficiency.
