Hyderabad: With Indian Railways aiming to reduce their energy bills by Rs 13,000 crore per annum, the South Central Railway (SCR) is on a mission to complete electrification of the rail network in the State by 2022.
Accordingly, railway authorities are expediting works across various sections in Secunderabad and Hyderabad divisions. The total route km in Telangana is 1,822 km, of which around 1,170 km has been electrified while works pertaining to 640 km are pending.
According to SCR officials, priority was given to electrification and taken up on a large scale across the State since 2014. Moreover, electrification of rail routes as part of MMTS phase II has also helped in speeding up the works.
Before 2014, about 865 route km were electrified on sections such as Errupalem – Balarshah, Kazipet – Secunderabad, Secunderabad – Wadi, Secunderabad – Falaknuma and Dornakal – Manuguru. The electrification projects targeted for commissioning include Umdanagar–Mahabubnagar (76 route km), Falaknuma – Umdanagar (13 route km,) and Medchal– Bolaram (15 route km).
“We are aiming to complete electrification of the entire rail network in the State in the next two years. Works are progressing at a brisk pace and there will be no delays as Indian Railways is planning to electrify all routes in the country in three years,” said a senior official.
Following complete electrification, the diesel oil consumption will be reduced by about 2.8 billion litres, thereby bringing down dependence on imported diesel oil and save foreign exchange. According to railway officials, it is amenable to the adoption of renewable sources of energy like solar, wind power. The haulage of heavier freight and longer passenger trains too will be at higher speed due to the higher haulage capacity of the electric loco.
The capacity of the railway network will be increased due to reduced detention and seamless transport on electric traction. It will also reduce carbon emission and improve the environment, particularly in cities like Hyderabad, New Delhi and Mumbai.
Officials said that electrification will keep the railways on course to attain a clean and green energy-based India. “Around two-thirds of freight and over half of the passenger traffic of the Indian Railways is on electric traction, which signifies the cost-effectiveness of electrification,” said an official.
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