Piyush Goyal: Railways to become a net zero carbon emitter by 2030

Acting Finance Minister Piyush Goyal gestures as he addresses a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, June 19,2018. Pic/PTI

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said the Indian Railways will become a "zero carbon emitter" by 2030 through 100 per cent electrification of its network. "With the current action plans on anvil for 100 per cent electrification coupled with renewable strategies, Indian Railways will become a net zero carbon emitter by 2030," Goyal said while addressing the Rail Contact 2018 conference organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

"And a good, efficient and modern Railways system can do wonders for the Indian economy and the lives of the people. In fact, it is more energy efficient than road transport and air transport."

However, it is always a team which needs to work in partnership with a collective effort of working towards a common goal, he said. Quoting Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, the minister said: "Great things in business are never done by one person. "Industry participation is as much important in our mission as to make Indian Railways the newest, finest and safest Railways in the world." Indian Railways, which used to struggle with lack of investments and capacity constraints, has witnessed a massive growth in investments in the last four years, he said.

"From the usual 200 to 225 km being done every month, when we moved the needle to make up for the huge backlog inherited from the previous government, I am happy to share that by November-December 2017, we have been able to ramp it up to 476 km of track renewable, every month."

"In the last 64 years, freight loading has increased by 1,344 per cent in the Indian Railways. Passenger travel in terms of kilometres has increased 1,642 per cent." He said that the total investments in 2013-14 in the capital infrastructure of Railways was slated for about Rs 46,000 crore, which is Rs 1,41,000 crore for this year.

He also stressed that the Railways needs more engagement and investments in areas such as technological upgradation and modernization. "The sector has huge technology issue. Transformation may not take shape without engagement with modern technology," he said inviting the industries to engage in these areas, and also to prioritize and focus on the actions to bring the desired transformation in the national transporter.

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