The Railways has logged highest-ever electrification of sections covering 6,015 Route Kilometre (RKM) in a single year during 2020-21, a statement from the national transporter said on Friday.
With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping trains off tracks, the Railways has used the opportunity to speed up its electrification process, it said.
It has surpassed the previous highest of 5,276 RKM achieved in 2018-19, the statement said.
The latest broad gauge network of Indian Railways is 63,949 RKM and with 740 km of Konkan Railway, it is 64,689 RKM, out of which 45,881 RKM — 71 per cent — have been electrified by March 31, 2021, it said.
“More than five times electrification was achieved during the last seven years (2014-21) as compared to during 2007-14. Since 2014, a record 24,080 RKM (37 per cent of present broad gauge routes) have been electrified against the electrification of 4,337 RKM (7 per cent of present broad gauge routes) during 2007-14,” the statement said.
“Of the total 45,881 RKM electrified so far, 34 per cent has been electrified in last three years only,” it said.
The Railways has planned to fully electrify its tracks by December 2023.
Total rail electrification would contribute to the goal of net zero emissions by 2030 by drawing its entire electrical load from renewable energy sources, it said.