Indian Railways has logged its highest-ever pace of electrification in 2020-21 with a 37% increase in the number of route kilometres electrified.
Indian Railways has planned to fully electrify its tracks by December 2023.
Total electrification achieved in 2020-21 is 6,015 route km. A detailed breakup of this figure has not been provided. The previous high of 5,276 RKM was achieved in 2018-19. The Central Organization for Railway Electrification (CORE) had been set a target to complete 4,056 route km electrification in 2020-21. The target for 2021-22 is 4,886 route km.
According to data provided by Indian Railways, the latest Broad Gauge network is 63,949 route kilometres (RKM). Another 740 km of lines are with Konkan Railway. The total comes to 64,689 RKM, out of which 45,881 RKM i.e. 71 % have been electrified by 31st March 2021.
A statement released by IR claims that more than 5x electrification was achieved during 2014-21 as compared to during 2007-14. IR states that since 2014, a record 24,080 RKM (37% of present Broad Gauge routes) have been electrified against electrification of 4,337 RKM (7% of present BG route) during 2007-14.
Out of a total of 45,881 RKM electrified so far, 34 % has been electrified in the last three years. IR has also commissioned 56 Traction Sub Stations during 2020-21 as against the previous best of 42, a jump of 33% over the previous number. A total of 201 Traction Sub Stations have been commissioned during the last seven years, claims IR.
Total Rail electrification would contribute to the goal of “net zero” emissions by 2030 by drawing its entire electrical load from renewable energy sources.