The railway ministry has carried out 100 percent electrification of the existing 1,170-km broad gauge network of Chhattisgarh, inching towards achieving net zero carbon emitter by 2030.
According to a statement by the ministry, the new broad gauge (BG) network in the state will be sanctioned along with electrification, in sync with the railways’ policy of 100 percent electrification.
“On the lines of setting the target of achieving net zero carbon emitter by 2030, the Indian Railways has carried out 100% electrification of the existing broad gauge network of Chhattisgarh,” the ministry said.
This will result in savings on account of reduced line haul cost (about 2.5 times lower), heavier haulage capacity, increased sectional capacity, reduced operating and maintenance cost of electric locomotives, energy efficient and eco-friendly mode of transport with reduced dependence on imported crude oil, saving foreign exchange.
Chhattisgarh’s territory falls in the South East Central and East Coast zonal jurisdiction. Some of the major railway stations are Bilaspur, Raipur, Durg and Korba.
Bilaspur is the largest railway station in Chhattisgarh and is located on the Mumbai-Howrah main line. It is an important junction and connects major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. Chhattisgarh has the highest freight loading in India and a significant amount of the railways’ revenue is generated here.
The railway network plays an important role in transportation of minerals, agricultural products and other goods from Chhattisgarh to other parts of the country. Some prestigious trains of Chhattisgarh are Durg-Jagdalpur Express, Chhattisgarh Express, Samta Express, Kalinga Utkal Express – these provide convenient connectivity to different parts of the state and other major cities.
Earlier this week, the Northeast Frontier Railway completed the electrification of two key sections, including Meghalaya’s Mendipathar, which will now bring trains hauled by electric loco to the state. On March 13, the ministry announced that it completed the electrification of the entire broad gauge network in Uttarakhand, weeks after it said it finished electrifying all broad gauge routes in Uttar Pradesh.
There are 18 zones of the Indian Railways, of which seven have been electrified. In June 2021, the West Central Railway became the first to achieve 100 percent electrification. Last month, North Eastern Railway achieved 100 percent electrification while the Central zone joined the club only last week. Other zones that were electrified are East Coast, North Central, Eastern and South Eastern.
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