After Uttar Pradesh, Indian Railways Achieves 100 Percent Electrification in Uttrakhand

Indian Railways is working on a mission mode to become the largest Green Railway in the world and is moving towards becoming a "net zero carbon emitter" before 2030, the Railway Ministry said in a press note on Monday. After the completion of electrification in Uttar Pradesh recently, Indian Railways has achieved another milestone. Indian Railways has completed the electrification of Uttarakhand. As per the official data given by the Ministry of Railways, the existing Broad Gauge network of Uttarakhand is 347 route kilometres, which is 100 per cent electrified.

This will result in saving on account of reduced line haul cost (about 2.5 times lower), heavier haulage capacity, increased sectional capacity, reduced operating and maintenance cost of the electric loco, energy-efficient and eco-friendly mode of transportation with reduced dependence on imported crude oil, saving of foreign exchange. Uttarakhand state's territory falls in the Northern and North Eastern Railway's jurisdiction.

Some of the major railway stations in Uttarakhand are Dehradun, Haridwar, Roorkee, Rishikesh, Kathgodam, and Tanakpur. Some of them have religious importance and some are attractive tourist places. Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Hemkund Sahib, Mussoorie, Nainital, Jim Corbett and Haridwar are a few to name.

Kathgodam station is an important station with annual passenger footfall of about 7 lacs and this terminating station acts as the entry of the Kumaun region of Uttrakhand. The first train to this station reached on 24 April 1884.

It is also notable that some of the prestigious trains of Uttarakhand state are Nanda Devi, Haridwar Express, Mussoorie Express, Utkal Express, Kumaon Express, Doon Express and Shatabdi Express. These trains provide convenient connectivity to various parts of the state and other major cities in India, helping greatly to state in the tourism business.

"Further, from Rishikesh to Karnprayag, new line work is under construction which will be another landmark achievement of Indian Railways, bringing the Char Dham pilgrimage route to the Indian Railways' circuit. This route is sanctioned along with electrification, in sync with Railways' policy of a 100 per cent electrified network," the press note said.