Prabhu: Will cut costs with solar plants at rly stations

GSPaul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 17

The Northern Railways will set up the state’s first solar power plant at a railway station in the holy city. Its foundation stone was laid by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu here today.

He said the plant aimed at curtailing the Railways’ expenses and ploughing the savings back to provide better facilities to the passengers.

This 1 MW plant, worth Rs 8 crore will generate at least 14 lakh units of power in a year. It will be made operational by June next year. It will cater to the railway station, including the passenger hall, goods sheds, RPF barracks, residential colony, officers’ rest houses and office complex.

Prabhu said the plant would help the Railways save at least Rs 1 crore annually. He said the aim was to transform the railway stations of Amritsar and Ludhiana under the Centre’s project.

He said the ministry was planning to start a high-speed train connecting Amritsar with New Delhi.

Talking about the Amritsar-Ferozepur-Patti rail link, he said the work got delayed due to lapse on the part of the state government to contribute its share. “We will soon start the civil work with the Centre’s funds,” he said. Earlier, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said though Punjab had five prominent rail links, the Amritsar-Patti link via Ferozepur should be executed soon. Both Prabhu and Badal also paid obeisance at Golden Temple.

Majithia launches ‘Solar Pind’ drive

Chandigarh: New and Renewable Energy Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, while launching the ‘Solar Pind’ campaign here today, said the state would now install LED-based solar streetlights in rural areas.

Majithia said villages in the districts along the international border and those in the Kandi area would be covered on priority. “In addition, 100 villages which have historical or religious importance will also be covered,” he added.