Completed electrification of 82 pc of broad gauge network, says railways

New Delhi, November 10

The railways has achieved 1,223 route km of electrification in the 2022-23 financial year till October 2022, as compared to 895 RKMs during the corresponding period of FY 2021-22, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

This is 36.64 per cent more than the previous year figures of the corresponding period.

“The Indian Railways has embarked upon an ambitious plan of electrification of its complete Broad Gauge network which would not only result in a better fuel energy usage resulting in increased throughput, reduced fuel expenditure but also savings in precious foreign exchange,” the ministry said.

Earlier, highest electrification was 6,015 RKM during 2020-21.

As on October 31, out of 65,141 RKM of broad gauge (BG) network of Indian Railways (including KRCL), 53,470 BG RKM have been electrified, which is 82.08 per cent of the total BG network.

The Indian Railways uses 25 kV 50 Hz AC traction on all its electrified tracks. Railway electrification in India began with the first electric train, between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Kurla on the Harbour Line, on February 3, 1925, on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) at 1,500 V DC.