![\"Railways\u2019](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-131426361,imgsize-951161,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/representative-image.jpg\" "\\"Representative")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nNEW DELHI: The push for electrification of its network has reduced Indian Railways\u2019 diesel consumption by 185 crore litres annually, equivalent to around four days of India\u2019s total diesel demand. With electrification of railways\u2019 broad-gauge network touching 99.6%, the quantum of diesel use has fallen to around 37% of what it was in 2016-17, officials said.\u201cAs against consumption of 293 crore litres of diesel in 2015-16 \u2014 the first year after electrification was taken up in mission mode \u2014 108 crore litres was consumed in 2024-25. It has come down further. Electrification of the railway network has insulated us from the fuel issue that the entire world is grappling with,\u201d an official said. He added that there has also been greater focus on sourcing power for railway operations from renewable sources.The official said electrification has resulted in the saving of foreign exchange for govt exchequer, which would otherwise have been needed for import of fuel.Official data show that while only 21,801 route km of Indian Railways was electrified by 2014, in the past 12 years, another 48,072 km have been electrified.Insiders in the logistics sector said that had railways not expedited electrification of its network, the scenario after the start of West Asia conflict would have adversely affected train operations, both for passengers and freight movement. \u201cLine haul costs, both for transporting passengers and freight using electric traction, are much less compared to diesel \u2014 almost one-sixth in the case of passenger movement and nearly one-third in the case of freight,\u201d said a railway official.The current focus to get power from renewable sources will make railways an even cleaner mode of transport.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n