Indian Railways' carbon emission will be zero by 2030, says Union Minister Piyush Goyal

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday (August 26) said that the Indian Railways has set a target of reducing carbon emission to zero by the end of 2030.

"By 2030 we will be a net-zero railway, our carbon emission will be zero. Indian Railways transports nearly 8 billion passengers and 1.2 billion tonnes of freight every year. Ours will be the world's first railways of this scale to go green," Goyal tweeted.

By 2030 we will be a net-zero railway, our carbon emission will be zero.

Indian Railways transports nearly 8 billion passengers and 1.2 billion tonnes of freight every year.

Ours will be the world's first Railways of this scale to go green. pic.twitter.com/x08SmseRrP — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) August 26, 2020

According to government data, the rail network in India is the fourth largest in the world only after the US, Russia and China. Indian rail network covers 67,368 km of tracks and has 7,300 stations.

Government's think tank NITI Aayog had said in a report that carbon emission from the Indian Railways was 6.84 million tonnes in 2014.

"We will have 100 per cent electrified train network by December 2023, the first railway of this scale in the world which will be diesel-free, 100 per cent electric," Goyal said.

The Union Minister added that land along the tracks will b used by Indian Railways to general 20 gigawatt of clean energy. He noted that the solar power equipment used for this purpose will be manufactured in India.

In 2019, Goyal had said the Centre would shut down old coal plants.

Experts maintain that 100% electrification of rail network would also help in increasing the average speed of trains.