Jammu division of Northern Railway is expanding its solar power infrastructure, taking its installed and planned capacity to 2.55 megawatts (MW) as part of an effort to promote clean energy and reduce dependence on conventional electricity, officials said on Monday. The programme covers major railway stations, depots and other premises across the division.

Solar plants with a combined capacity of 1,745 kilowatt-peak (kWp), equivalent to 1.745 MW, are already operational at five locations. These include Jammu Railway Station and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Station, where a 1 MW solar plant has been installed.

The division is accelerating work on 18 additional solar plants with a combined capacity of 808 kWp. Once these facilities are commissioned, total solar generation capacity will reach 2,553 kWp, or about 2.55 MW. The expansion is intended to increase the share of renewable electricity used in railway operations.

Work on a new 450 kWp solar plant at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Station began on September 12 and is scheduled for completion by December 2026, according to Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer Vishal Rathi. Another 13 plants, with a combined capacity of 358 kWp, are also planned at Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Udhampur Station, with work expected to begin shortly.

The initiative is expected to reduce carbon emissions and lower annual electricity expenditure while easing the division’s reliance on the conventional power grid. Divisional Railway Manager Vivek Kumar said the programme formed part of an effort to make railway operations cleaner and more sustainable, with solar energy planned for stations across Jammu division. Officials said savings on electricity could also support improvements in passenger amenities and contribute to environmental protection.