Dec 17th 2024 Editorial

The Hidden Cost of Indian Railways’ Mission 100% Electrification

Introduction:

The Indian Railways’ “Mission 100% Electrification” aims to create a green and net-zero carbon emission transport system by transitioning to full electric traction. While the mission aligns with environmental goals and reduces dependency on diesel, it also raises concerns about financial wastage, asset redundancy, and greenwashing due to India’s current reliance on coal-fired electricity generation.

 

  1. Rationale Behind Mission 100% Electrification:
  • Foreign Exchange Savings: Reducing diesel consumption decreases crude oil imports.
  • Environmental Goals: Electrification is promoted as a means to reduce carbon emissions and pollution.
  • Adoption of Renewable Energy: Utilizing land along railway tracks for solar and wind power generation.

 

  1. Issues with the Mission:
  2. Redundancy of Diesel Locomotives:
  • Current Status:
    • As of 2023, 760 diesel locomotives are idling across the network.
    • More than 60% of these locomotives have a residual life of over 15 years.
  • Asset Wastage:
    • Hundreds of serviceable locomotives face premature redundancy, resulting in colossal financial losses.
    • Example: Diesel locomotives lined up end-to-end stretch nearly 16 kilometers.

 

  1. Misleading Environmental Benefits:
  • Source of Electricity:
    • Nearly 50% of India’s electricity comes from coal-fired thermal plants.
    • Railways transport coal to thermal plants, which then generate electricity to power electric trains—a self-perpetuating coal dependence.
  • Shifting Pollution:
    • Electrification merely shifts pollution from railway tracks to power plants, which emit pollutants in more concentrated forms.
  1. Financial Sustainability Concerns:
  • Coal transport contributes 40% of Indian Railways’ freight earnings.
  • Electrification’s success depends on alternative freight commodities to avoid a financial crisis.
  1. Retention of Diesel Locomotives:
  • Despite electrification, 2,500 diesel locomotives will be retained for disaster management and strategic purposes.
  • Nearly 1,000 diesel locomotives will remain operational for years to meet traffic demands.
  • This contradicts the “100% green railway” goal and highlights policy inconsistency.

 

Conclusion:

While the intent behind “Mission 100% Electrification” aligns with sustainable development goals, its hasty implementation raises critical questions about policy rationale, financial prudence, and environmental claims. Without a significant increase in renewable energy generation, the project risks greenwashing and diverting resources away from more practical and balanced solutions. A careful reassessment of diesel asset management and long-term electrification plans is necessary.

 

Mains Practice Question:

Q: Discuss the environmental and financial implications of the Indian Railways’ “Mission 100% Electrification”. Critically analyze whether the policy aligns with India’s sustainable development goals.

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