Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that India has become the country with the world’s largest electrified railway network. He stated that 99.6 percent of Indian Railways’ broad-gauge network has been electrified. In this regard, India trails only slightly behind Switzerland (100 percent), although Switzerland’s railway network is significantly smaller than India’s.
In a written reply, the Railway Minister noted that India has surpassed countries like China (82 percent), Spain (67 percent), Japan (64 percent), France (60 percent), and the United Kingdom (39 percent) in terms of railway electrification. He stated that Indian Railways has successfully implemented one of the fastest railway electrification programs in the world. While most countries electrify only busy passenger and freight routes, India has adopted the goal of electrifying its entire broad-gauge network.
Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that 48,072 kilometers of railway lines were electrified in “mission mode” between 2014 and 2026. In contrast, only 21,801 kilometers of rail routes had been electrified in the preceding 60 years. He mentioned that railway electrification has reduced dependence on fossil fuels, led to a significant drop in diesel consumption, and resulted in lower carbon emissions. Additionally, it has increased the load-carrying capacity and speed of trains, thereby reducing travel time and improving operational efficiency.
According to the Railway Minister, diesel consumption for railway traction has fallen from 293 crore liters in 2015-16 to approximately 108 crore liters in 2024-25. This represents a saving of nearly 185 crore liters of diesel, leading to significant savings in foreign exchange, as this fuel previously had to be imported. He stated that Indian Railways has also installed over 1,260 MW of solar and wind energy capacity to promote clean energy. The expansion of the railway network encourages clean transportation, as rail transport emits approximately 89 percent less carbon dioxide compared to road transport.
Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that the electrified railway network is ideally suited for effectively integrating solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources into the traction power system. Indian Railways is committed to sustainable and eco-friendly operations through near-total electrification, increased use of renewable energy, and strategic power procurement plans, thereby making a significant contribution to reducing the country’s carbon footprint.
