In order to control spiralling fuel bill, reduce dependence on imported fossil oil, increase energy security of the nation, reduce pollution, improve operational efficiency and operating ratio of IR, it
is imperative that electrification is accorded priority in Railways. With this objective, a target for electrification of 10000 route kilometre has been set to be achieved within next 5 years from 2015-16
to 2019-20.
Benefits of Electrification:
• Electrification of Indian Railways as a powerful measure to achieve cost effectiveness.
• Traction Economy-Reduction in Operating Cost
In terms of Line Haul Cost (Summary of End Results 2013-14), electric traction is cheaper by about 45% for freight
traffic & 47% cheaper for coaching traffic, as compared to diesel traction. This is evident from the table given below:-
| Line haul cost per thousand GTKM as per Summary of End Results 2013-14 |
|
Freight |
Coaching |
|
Diesel |
Electric |
Diesel |
Electric |
| Line Haul cost per thousand GTKM (in Rs.) |
278.20 |
131.20 |
399.92 |
178.92 |
• 65.4% of freight traffic and 51.2% of passenger traffic is hauled on 39.2 % of electrified network presently. The
fuel expense on electric traction is only 36.32 % of the total fuel bill of
IR.
• Electric traction is more economical and play a vital role in improving the Operating Ratio.
• 1.1.2 System Capacity Enhancement
• Electric traction improves the throughput and section capacity by about 15%, as it enables haulage of heavier freight and
longer passenger trains at higher speed.
• Electrical traction can use alternate and non-conventional sources of clean energy, such as solar and wind energy sources.
• Regenerative energy produced in Three-Phase Electrical rolling stock during the braking of trains, results in saving in
energy consumption by about 30%.
• Contribution of electric traction of the currently electrified tracks towards reduction in green house gas (GHG) emission
is 3.36 million tonne carbon equivalents per year.
• The environmental cost of electric traction, based on cost of abatement of green house gas emissions, is 0.015 for electric traction and 0.051for diesel traction.
• In a study conducted by TERI, electric traction is found to be about three times more energy efficient than diesel
traction.