All 18 Kalka-Shimla stations to be solar-powered

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, December 25

All 18 railway stations on the world heritage Kalka-Shimla track will be equipped with solar lights by March 31 next year. The Ambala division has allotted the work to a Bikaner-based private company.

Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer (General) of Ambala Division Sunil Kumar told The Tribune, “A 3-kW plant will be set up at each station to generate power. Besides equipping the stations with solar power, all lights will be replaced with LED ones, reducing power consumption by 50 to 60 per cent.”

“About Rs 40 lakh to Rs 45 lakh will be spent on the solar system and LED lights. The cost is expected to be recovered in two-and-a-half years. The solar panels come with a warranty of nearly 25 years and there will a saving of Rs 18 lakh to Rs 20 lakh per annum,” he added.

The 18 stations to be covered are Kalka, Taksal, Ghumman, Koti, Sanwara, Dharampur, Kumarhatti, Barog, Solan, Salogra, Kandaghat, Kanoh, Kathleeghat, Shoghi, Taradevi, Jutogh, Summer Hill and Shimla.

The Railways is working on another project, Kumar said. A 36-coach narrow gauge train will be equipped with a 3-kW solar plant to light up the coaches. “The plant will be set up on the roof of the train and it will cost nearly Rs 35 lakh. The Ministry of Railways has been laying stress on making railway stations energy efficient and environment friendly,” the official said.

The Kalka-Shimla railway track was built in 1898 by the British to connect Shimla, the summer capital during the British Raj, with the rest of India. The 96-km Kalka-Shimla track was given a world heritage tag by UNESCO in 2008. It passes through 102 tunnels and 864 bridges. The 2-ft-6-inch narrow gauge draws tourists from across the country and abroad.