Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the rapid expansion of railway electrification in India during his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.
India electrified only 30 per cent of its railway network during the first 90 years, but completed the remaining 70 per cent over the last decade.
PM Modi noted that Indian Railways began its electrification journey in 1925.
According to the Prime Minister, the network had reached only 30 per cent electrification after nine decades of work. He said the government then accelerated the programme and completed the remaining electrification of the broad gauge network within just 10 years.
PM Modi said the transition from diesel to electric locomotives has helped India reduce its requirement for imported diesel. He added that increased use of electric trains has contributed to reducing the environmental impact of railway operations.
India now operates one of the world’s largest electrified railway networks. Electrification has reached 99.6 per cent of the country’s broad-gauge track network.
Switzerland has achieved 100 per cent railway electrification, although its railway system covers a much smaller network.
India’s railway electrification rate has surpassed those of several other major railway nations. China stands at 82 per cent, Spain at 67 per cent and Japan at 64 per cent. France has an electrification rate of 60 per cent, while the UK stands at 39 per cent.
The Prime Minister said India intends to continue developing new railway technologies after making substantial progress in electrification. He pointed to the country’s entry into hydrogen-powered rail transport as another significant technological milestone.
PM Modi said India has developed a hydrogen-powered train that stands out for its length and power among trains using the technology.
The train is designed to carry approximately 2,600 passengers and demonstrates the potential of hydrogen as an alternative to diesel fuel.
The hydrogen-powered train initiative forms part of India’s wider effort to develop cleaner and more advanced transportation systems.
These developments support India’s broader objectives of reducing fossil fuel dependence, improving energy efficiency and strengthening technological self-reliance.
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