HYDERABAD: Even as the railways is targeting to electrify all routes by 2024, the South Central Railway is hauling the rolling stock with high-speed diesel locomotives in about 25 per cent of its network, spending crores of rupees every month. The total length of the SCR network is 6,400 route km. Of this, 4,900 route kms of the track are electrified while the remaining 1,500 route km of track including 450 route km in Telangana are non-electrified.
The SCR covers Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and a part of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The routes which are yet to be electrified are Mahbubnagar-Kurnool, Medchal - Dharmabad, Manoharabad - Gajwel, Devarkadra - Makthal, Mudkhed - Adilabad and a few others. Trains like Nanded - Sambalpur Nagavali Express, Nanded - Visakhapatnam Express, Secunderabad - Manmad Ajanta Express, Secunderabad - Mumbai Devagiri Express and Nizamabad - Tirupati Rayalaseema Express are hauled by diesel locos.
According to officials, SCR is utilising 16,500-kilo litre (1.65 lakh litres) of high-speed diesel every month for the operation of the rolling stock. Before, Covid-19, the zone used to depend on 23,600-kilo litre of diesel a month and in the last two years, 1,000 route km were electrified. At present, SCR has 480 diesel locomotives for ferrying passenger and goods trains.
On the other hand, railways say that they are aiming to complete the electrification of the entire rail network in the zone in the next two years as works are progressing at a brisk pace and there will be no delays. After complete electrification, the diesel oil consumption will be reduced by about 2.8 billion litre, thereby bringing down dependence on imported diesel oil.
The haulage of heavier freight and longer passenger trains too will be at a higher speed due to the higher haulage capacity of the electric locos. The capacity of the railway network will be increased due to reduced detention and seamless transport on electric traction. It will also reduce carbon emissions and improve the environment, particularly in cities like Hyderabad, New Delhi and Mumbai.
Officials said that electrification will keep the railways on course to attain green energy. Around two-thirds of freight and over half of the passenger traffic of the Indian Railways is on electric traction, which signifies the cost-effectiveness of electrification.