Indian Railways Saves 640 Cr Litres of Diesel, Cuts 400 Cr kg CO₂ in Decade

Indian Railways has achieved a major milestone in environmental sustainability by saving over 640 crore litres of diesel in the past decade, leading to a reduction of more than 400 crore kilograms of CO₂ emissions. This achievement aligns with the national transporter’s mission to become a net-zero emission network by 2030.

According to the Ministry of Railways, this reduction in carbon footprint is equivalent to planting 16 crore saplings across the country. A senior railway official highlighted that the initiative showcases the Railways' commitment to sustainability and its rapid transformation into an eco-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transport.

Electrification Drive & Renewable Energy Push

Over the past ten years, Indian Railways has significantly expanded its electrification efforts, covering 45,922 km of rail routes, a massive leap from the 5,188 km electrified between 2004 and 2014. This has played a crucial role in reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

To further its green initiatives, Indian Railways has also implemented Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) systems, with 7,692 systems installed by March 2024. It also plans to increase renewable energy procurement from various power sources to further curb emissions.

Renewable Energy & Energy-Efficient Technologies

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has set an ambitious goal to transform the entire railway network into a net-zero emission system by 2030. As part of this initiative, Indian Railways has commissioned approximately 494 MW of solar power from rooftop and land-based plants and around 103 MW of wind power as of January 2025.

Additionally, the conversion of End-on-Generation (EOG) trains into Head-on-Generation (HOG) trains has helped reduce noise and air pollution while significantly lowering diesel consumption in power cars. The electrification of rail routes remains a crucial strategy in cutting costs, saving fuel, and reducing the overall carbon footprint of the network.

With these efforts, Indian Railways is steadily moving towards becoming one of the most environmentally friendly transportation systems in the world.

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