Railways implements provision of 750 V power supply for maintenance of LHB rakes at washing/sick lines

By
Daily Excelsior
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Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 20: To achieve Net Zero carbon footprint by 2030, Indian Railways is implementing provision of 750 V power supply for maintenance of Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) rakes at washing/sick lines.
In November 2016, Railway Board took a policy decision to switch over 100% of its production to LHB coaches from April 2018. An energy review undertaken at the Railway Board showed that at 2021-22 base, the diesel consumption on testing and maintenance of LHB rakes at washing/pit lines was about 1.84 lakh litres per day amounting to an annual recurring expense of approximately Rs 668+ crore which was projected to increase at the rate of 20+ % per annum being a combined function of diesel prices and LHB fleet induction.
The Railway Board observed that comparatively, grid electrical energy is 70% to 80% cheaper. This issue is typical to LHB and does not arise in ICF coaches, and therefore, infrastructure and capacity creation at washing/pit lines by providing 750V power supply for testing and maintenance of LHB rakes was important. With this aim, capital works for 411 washing/pit lines on Indian Railways (IR) were sanctioned at a total capital cost of approximately Rs 210 crore.
As it was a thrust area monitored by the Railway Board, in a span of less than one year, capital works were sanctioned and works awarded for infra creation at 411 washing/pit lines, covering entire Indian Railway and by end of July 2023 works at 316 washing/pit lines have been completed while rest are targeted for completion by Q2 of 2023.
The infrastructure so created, by investing a capital of Rs 210 crore in infra capacity creation at washing/pit lines, would yield a net savings of Rs 500+ crore every year in Ordinary Working Expenses. Coupled with the target of HOG compliant locomotive fleet on Indian Railway, savings shall be much higher. This is a part of Indian Railway’s efforts to improve operational viability of passenger services, particularly Mail/Express segment through non-tariff measures by reducing costs and improving efficiency with optimization.
Indian Railway is deeply committed to cutting fossil fuel dependence and reducing its carbon footprint in the economy to achieve Net Zero by 2030. This work is a step towards IR’s low carbon transition pathways to adopt a carbon neutral growth strategy.

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