NEW DELHI: The government aims to achieve 100% electrification of the railways by 2023, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.
"Railways consumes about 3% of total energy needs of the country. We are focused on fast pace of electrification of the railways. In 2013-14 (Apr-Mar), we electrified about 680 km of rail lines. Last year, we electrified about 5,000 km. By 2023, Indian Railways will be the first, for the size it has, to be 100% electrified," Goyal said at the India Energy Forum by CERAWeek.
A sizeable number of trains are still powered by diesel. Electrification of trains will help reduce the dependence of Indian Railways on fossil fuels and reduce the carbon footprint.
