JOIN USNearly 657 trains make way for coal to stop power crisis
With several thermal power plants across the country facing a shortage of coal due to high demand for electricity, the Indian Railways decided to cancel 753 trips of 21 trains including mail, express and passenger trains to prioritise coal-carrying rakes.
"Cancellation of trains is an interim measure. The cancellation has been done in non-priority sectors and less busy routes," Rajiv Jain, Additional Director General (Indian Railways), said here.
A total of 753 trips of 21 trains were cancelled and cancellation started on April 28 and will continue till May 3rd week. The railways is also augmenting the rakes to transport coal to meet the demand.
Also Read | Power crisis adds to heatwave woes in east India
"A total of 533 coal rakes put on duty. For the power sector, 427 rakes loaded on Thursday. 1.62 million tonnes loaded for the power sector," Jain said.
Each rake carries around 3,500 tonnes of coal.
Jain also stated that the railways has augmented the loading of coal to the power sector by 32% between September 2021 and March 2022.
Earlier this week the Coal ministry had requested Railways to run around 422 coal rakes on a daily basis to meet the present power demand.
Huge electricity demand due to heatwave across the country and several states including Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu facing power cuts.
The Power Ministry on Thursday said that India’s peak power demand during the day has risen by more than 12 per cent to a whopping 204.65 gigawatts (GW) by April 28.
Dismissing apprehension over the shortage of coal, Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said, "Our thermal power plants hold 21-22 million tonnes of coal, enough for 10 days. Replenishment to be done continuously."
The tussle between the Centre and state governments is intensifying — states are blaming the centre for the coal shortage and power crisis, while the Centre has laid the blame on the states for not clearing dues to companies for supplying coal to power plants.
The Centre on Friday told the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) to lower the ceiling on power prices in the market of power exchanges.
About 70 per cent of India's electricity demand is fulfilled through coal.
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