Indian Railways electrifies pit lines for diesel savings

The Indian Railways is targeting significant diesel savings of approximately 200,000 litres daily by electrifying all pit lines across its network. These lines are crucial inspection points where train coaches undergo assessments for electrical issues in components like lights, fans, and mobile charging outlets before commencing their next journeys.Aligned with the railways' ambition of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030, this initiative stands as a crucial step in its environmental commitments. To achieve this, the plan is to replace fossil fuels with grid electrification for all 411 maintenance pits by December 2023, with 302 pits already electrified.An internal review conducted in 2022 spotlighted the substantial diesel consumption of 184,000 litres per day for Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) rake maintenance due to diesel generators needed during electrical fault rectifications. To mitigate this, the setup of a 750V power supply through grids was sanctioned for all LHB maintenance pits across the Indian Railways.Reiterating the railways' goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2030, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized this during March 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reinforced this objective while inaugurating 508 'Amrit Bharat' stations. The electrification of pit lines, which formerly heavily relied on diesel, is an integral part of this overarching effort.Beyond environmental benefits, the electrification project is anticipated to reduce costs by 70-80% compared to the existing head-on-generation (HOG-compliant) LHB rakes. This strategic move is predicted to yield over Rs 450 crore annually. Previously, diesel-powered rakes incurred annual expenses exceeding Rs 668 crore, projected to increase by 20% due to diesel inflation and the expansion of the LHB fleet.