Indian Railways has achieved more than 99 per cent electrification of its broad gauge network and is close to completing full electrification, Railways Minister Ashvini Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.

Highlighting India’s progress, the minister said the country is significantly ahead of several major economies in railway electrification. Electrification levels stand at 39 per cent in the United Kingdom, 52 per cent in Russia, and 82 per cent in China.

Vaishnaw also noted that 100 per cent electrification has already been achieved across 14 railway zones and 25 states and Union Territories. He said the electrification of the rail network has been taken up in mission mode as part of Indian Railways’ modernisation drive.

According to the minister, before 2014, electrification covered around 21,000 route kilometres of the broad gauge network. Since then, this has more than doubled, with approximately 47,000 route kilometres electrified to date, bringing the national rail system close to complete electrification.