Indian Railways Achieves Significant Milestone in Railway Electrification
Indian Railways has achieved a significant milestone in railway electrification with the completion of electrification of the Broad Gauge (BG) route in Delhi division of Northern Railway. The electrification of Delhi Division will improve rail connectivity and the speed of trains in the region. With 85% of Route Kilometers already electrified, Indian Railways is rapidly progressing towards accomplishing Mission 100% Electrification and becoming the largest green railway network in the world.
Delhi Division, which came into existence in April 1864, is one of the most important and leading divisions of Indian Railways. It is people, tourist, and environmentally friendly, and was the first division of Indian Railways to start a fully computerized reservation system. The country’s first Rajdhani Express, first Shatabdi Express, and high-speed Gatimaan train were started from Delhi Division. The first CNG train was also started in Delhi Division.
Delhi Division alone carries 50% of the freight loading and 50% of the passenger traffic of Northern Railway, thus contributing to rural economy and tribal welfare by running passengers and goods trains to every part of India. Presently, Delhi Division has 1454 Route Kilometers (RKM), and from an electrification point of view, the total Track Kilometer (TKM) is 3266 KM. The division achieved 100% electrification in the year 2021-22, making it the highest electrified TKM division of Indian Railways. Delhi Division was the first in Northern Railway to achieve this feat of 100% electrification.
The electrification of Delhi Division was carried out in two phases. In the first phase spanning over a period of 20 years, important sections of Golden Quadrilateral i.e., Ghaziabad- New Delhi, New Delhi-Palwal, and a section of Delhi-Ambala were electrified. In the second phase spanning over the period of 9 years, from the year 2013 to 2022, remaining un-electrified sections, i.e., important mainline sections Delhi-Bhatinda, Delhi-Rewari, and Ghaziabad-Saharanpur, including all branch lines, were electrified.
Presently, the total installed capacity in Delhi Division is 734 (Mega Volt Ampere) MVA with 17 (Traction Sub-Station) TSS and 106 switching posts. The completion of electrification in Delhi Division is a significant achievement for Indian Railways and will pave the way for a greener and more sustainable future.
