Full electrification of Indian railways within next 3-4 years: Piyush Goyal

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that the target has been set for full electrification of Indian railways within next four years.

"Railways is continuously increasing electrification for a better, pollution-free future. The target of electrification of the entire railway in the next 3-4 years has been set, making it the world's first carbon emission-free railway, along with that the railways is producing solar energy for their power needs," he tweeted.

Earlier, Railway Minister Goyal had said that Indian Railways will become the world first "net-zero" carbon emitter by 2030.

"By 2030, we are working to make the Indian railways the world's first net-zero railway. The Government is phasing out the old coal plants, which is going to help reduce environmental pollution, and will also create the demand for new plants and spur the investment cycle," he had said while speaking at third India Energy Forum CERAWeek 2019 last month.

As per the NITI Aayog data, carbon dioxide emission from the Indian Railways was around 6.84 million tons in 2014. Amid global concern over climate change, Indian Railways is also working to reduce the carbon emission.

Goyal said that the Indian railways will be 100 per cent electrically run by 2023.

"By the year 2023, Indian railways will be the first railways of the size and scale that we have to be 100 per cent electrically run," he said.