Railway Electrification Surpasses 38,650 Km Milestone Since 2014
In a significant stride towards sustainable and efficient railway operations, India has achieved a remarkable length of 38,650 kilometers in railway electrification since 2014, as of October 31, 2023. The Ministry of Railways, under the leadership of Ashwini Vaishnaw, provided a detailed overview of the electrification status across various states, emphasizing the substantial benefits and positive environmental impact of this transformative initiative.
The electrification progress is outlined below, showcasing the states and their electrified broad gauge route kilometers (RKM) as of October 31, 2023:
- Uttar Pradesh: 8,516 RKM
- Madhya Pradesh: 4,857 RKM
- Odisha: 2,849 RKM
- Jharkhand: 2,558 RKM
- Telangana: 1,923 RKM
- Haryana: 1,701 RKM
- Chhattisgarh: 1,199 RKM
- Uttarakhand: 347 RKM
- Jammu & Kashmir: 298 RKM
- Delhi: 183 RKM
- Himachal Pradesh: 67 RKM
- Puducherry: 21 RKM
- Chandigarh: 16 RKM
- Meghalaya: 9 RKM
- Bihar: 3,625 RKM
- Andhra Pradesh: 3,841 RKM
- Maharashtra: 5,561 RKM
- Tamil Nadu: 3,659 RKM
- West Bengal: 3,771 RKM
- Kerala: 947 RKM
- Gujarat: 3,445 RKM
- Rajasthan: 4,988 RKM
- Punjab: 1,992 RKM
- Karnataka: 3,060 RKM
- Goa: 147 RKM
- Assam: 871 RKM
It’s important to note that railway projects are sanctioned and executed Zonal Railway-wise, rather than State-wise, due to their potential to span across state boundaries.
As of April 1, 2023, Indian Railways has 231 doubling projects, covering a total length of 20,296 km, with 5,455 km already commissioned. The estimated cost for these projects is approximately ₹2.70 lakh crore, with an expenditure of around ₹1.03 lakh crore incurred up to March 2023.
The financial allocation to railway electrification projects since 2014 demonstrates a steady commitment to this transformative endeavor:
- 2014-15: ₹1,391 crore
- 2015-16: ₹2,291 crore
- 2016-17: ₹2,956 crore
- 2017-18: ₹3,837 crore
- 2018-19: ₹5,955 crore
- 2019-20: ₹7,145 crore
- 2020-21: ₹6,141 crore
- 2021-22: ₹6,972 crore
- 2022-23: ₹6,658 crore
- 2023-24 (up to October 2023): ₹3,534 crore
The far-reaching impact of railway electrification is highlighted by its contributions to a clean and green mode of transport, enhanced haulage capacity, reduced line haul costs, decreased carbon emissions, and substantial savings in foreign exchange spent on crude oil.
Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, emphasized the ongoing commitment to railway electrification and its profound and positive implications for India’s transportation landscape.
