Time to harness solar power in Mumbai

The second air-conditioned local in Mumbai has scored a first. It will be the first ever in Mumbai's network to be equipped with solar panels to power lights and fans in the coaches The train has been allotted to the Western Railway to ease the burden on the existing AC train. There will be trials of the train before it is put into service.

This has been experimented in one coach of the train, and depending on the feedback, the innovation will be extended to other coaches, a Railway spokesperson has been quoted as saying in this paper. Thumbs up to a good, bold initiative. To try it out on one coach and then extend it also shows long-term thinking and a willingness to put yourself out there and experiment. With Mumbai on the cusp of large scale development in infrastructure, there is a 'project' on at every nook and corner, it is important that we find a balance between going clean and green and development.

This is one of them. If we have to have new infrastructure, the authorities need to see how green they can make that particular piece of infra. For instance, we may have a new bridge or road soon. Can we look at solar lights for these roads, too? This needs to be factored in at the inception stage itself, and there must be great will to implement it.

This thinking needs to cover new buildings coming up, too; every attempt has to be made to factor in clean energy. We are aware that the irony of trees being cut down for projects and then attempts to make this infrastructure green may seem laughable. In the current scenario though it is the best the authorities can do. They must pursue this and ensure that this is extended to all other development. They owe it to themselves and to the city.

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