Railways Launch Track Solar Panels and New Freight Initiatives

20 Aug 2025 CW Team

The Ministry of Railways has announced a milestone in green energy innovation with the commissioning of India’s first renewable solar panel system installed between railway tracks at Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), Varanasi.

According to the ministry, Indian Railways has commissioned a 70-metre removable solar panel system comprising 28 panels with a 15 KWp capacity. The initiative marks a historic first in the nation’s sustainability drive.

At the same time, freight operations have been expanded. On 10 August, the first industrial salt-loaded rake was dispatched from Sanosara on the Bhuj–Naliya section to Dahej. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the new logistics solution would boost the salt industry in the region.

The Ahmedabad Division Railway Manager reported that the rake, loaded on 9 August with 3,851.2 tonnes of industrial salt, travelled 673.57 km and is expected to generate Rs 3.17 million in freight revenue. Officials described the achievement as a key step in strengthening both the regional industry and India’s logistics network.

In another development, Western Railway successfully commissioned and energised India’s first 2×25 kV Electric Traction System at the Nagda–Khachrod section under Ratlam Division on 12 August. The system, which includes two Scott-connected 100 MVA power transformers, is designed to provide efficient electrical load supply to the overhead equipment (OHE).

Officials highlighted that the Nagda traction sub-station is the first in India to be energised with Scott Transformer technology, marking a significant advance in railway electrification infrastructure.

Infrastructure Urban

30 Sep 2025

PM Modi Launches Rs 1.22 Trillion Development Projects in Banswara

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development works worth over Rs 1.22 trillion in Banswara, Rajasthan, on the fourth day of Navratri. During his visit to the sacred land of Maa Tripura Sundari and Maa Mahi, the Prime Minister paid homage to the region’s spiritual heritage and highlighted the resilience of India’s tribal communities, inspired by the legacy of Mahayogi Govind Guru Ji.Shri Modi emphasised energy generation as a national priority, announcing power projects exceeding Rs 900 billion across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, ..

GeM Launches Campaign to Boost Transparency and Fair Trade

The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has launched a special campaign during Vigilance Awareness Week titled “GeM Ki Sunien, Satark Rahein, Zimmedar Banein,” reinforcing its commitment to transparency, integrity, and ethical practices in public procurement.The initiative aims to educate and empower buyers to adopt best practices and comply with rules while enabling sellers—including last-mile entrepreneurs, startups, and micro and small enterprises (MSEs) from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities—to access secure and transparent opportunities. GeM’s safeguards, such as red-flag alerts, structured b..

DoT, FIU-IND Join Forces to Curb Telecom-Based Frauds

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) have signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen information sharing and coordination, marking a major step in India’s fight against telecom misuse in cyber-crimes and financial fraud.The MoU was signed by Shri Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Deputy Director General (AI & Digital Intelligence Unit – DIU), DoT, and Shri Amit Mohan Govil, Director, FIU-IND, in the presence of Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom), and Shri Arvind Shrivastava, Secretary (Revenue). The agreement..