KOCHI: The first phase of the Railways' initiative to install solar panels in stations, will be completed at Ernakulam South Station in a month. The move is part of the Railways' plan to go green and save electricity cost. Though the project includes the four major stations in the city - Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town, Aluva and Angamaly- the first phase includes only Ernakulam Junction.
The asbestos roof of the station has already been replaced with galvalume roofing tiles to place the panels with a capacity of 190 KW.“The work has already begun and a portion of the panel has been put atop the roof of platform number one. After installation, it needs to be synchronised. The company, entrusted with the work, is now engaged in doing the same at Thrissur station. They will move to Ernakulam once it is done,” said a senior section engineer of Ernakulam division.
The work is expected to resume in a week or two. “Since it is a zonal-level proposal and we don't have any direct financial involvement, our duty is just to monitor it,” he added. The Southern Division of Railways had called for a global tender in which the Delhi-based Azure Power Rooftop Solutions were selected for 25 years. “The project will be carried out by the firm and Railways just provides the space. Currently, we buy electricity for Rs 6.35 per unit from KSEB through high tension connections. Once installed, the solar panels are expected to save us around Rs 3 per unit,” said an engineer at Ernakulam Junction.
Though the initial plan was to finish the project by May, it got delayed. “We have no idea about how Azure Power proceeds with the project. They have many things to do like rewiring,” he said.
