Central Railways achieves 100% electrification of broad gauge

The Mumbai-headquartered Central Railway (CR) has achieved a significant milestone with 100 per cent electrification of the entire broad gauge network.

The CR has completed the electrification of all broad gauge routes, running 3,825 route kilometres.

The last non-electrified section of the CR was the Ausa-Latur Road (52 route kilometres), part of the Solapur Division, which was electrified on February 23, 2023.

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The CR, in a tweet, said: “Central Railway achieves a significant milestone with 100% electrification of the entire broad gauge network.”

Congratulating the CR team, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Outstanding feat. Compliments to the entire team.”

The move will help in reducing the railways' carbon footprint by an estimated 5.204 lakh tons every year and also save Rs. 1,670 crores annually.

“Central Railway is guided by a historical vision of being an environmentally friendly, efficient, cost-effective, punctual and modern carrier of passengers and freight in order to serve the growing needs of New India. This will also significantly reduce the fuel bill as well as our carbon footprint,” CR General Manager Naresh Lalwani said.

The pace of railway electrification, which is environment-friendly and reduces pollution, has increased at 9X speed since 2014.

“Railways has planned electrification of broad gauge routes, which will facilitate the elimination of diesel traction, resulting in a significant reduction in its carbon footprint and environmental pollution,” a CR spokesperson said.

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The first electric train ran in India between the then Bombay Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) and Kurla on the Harbour line, on February 3, 1925.

The section was electrified on 1,500 Volt DC. The conversion of DC traction on the Mumbai Division of the Central Railways to AC traction began in 2001 and was progressively completed in 2016, without significant disturbance to the lifeline of the nation.

The Central Railways has overcome the challenges of conversion of DC-AC traction in difficult terrains, especially in the Western Ghat sections over the years. The major cities in the CR's jurisdiction include Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Nasik, Solapur, and Kolhapur.

The Punjab Mail Express, Howrah Mail, CSMT-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express, Deccan Queen, Vande Bharat, Tejas Express, Konkan Kanya Express, Pushpak Express, Mahanagari Express, Udyan Express, Shatabdi Express, Hussain Sagar Express, Siddeshwar Express etc are the major prestigious trains run over Central Railway network.

The CR also runs suburban local trains on electric traction, which are the lifeline of Mumbai city.