The Indian Railways has set a goal to fully electrify all railroad tracks by 2030 to achieve “net-zero” emissions. According to railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Indian Railways has made every effort to meet the goal by utilizing renewable energy to the fullest extent possible and moving quickly with electrification projects.
According to a source, the railways will save thousands of crores of rupees in revenue currently spent on buying high-speed diesel and reduce carbon emissions if all routes are electrified by 2023–2024. The Railway has implemented a multi-pronged strategy to become more environmentally friendly in its operations, including replacing traditional lighting with LED and installing solar energy panels to supply the electricity needed for non-track tasks. As of April 2021, about 48,881 lines were electrified, and over a thousand railway stations have solar panels installed on their roofs to use renewable energy and cut carbon emissions.
