Railways aims at 2030 to become zero carbon emitter
By TIOL News Service
NEW DELHI, JUNE 19, 2018: ACTING on the action plan for 100% electrification, the Indian Railways would soon become zero carbon emitter by 2030.
Quoting Steve Jobs, the Rail Minister, Mr Piyush Goyal, said that ‘Great things in business are never done by one person. Industry participation is as much important in our mission as to make Indian Railways the newest, finest and safest Railways in the world’.
The Minister said this while addressing the Rail Contact 2018 conference in New Delhi today. The Rail Contact 2018 was organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) , in support with the Railway Board, Ministry of Railways.
Sharing the scale of modernization and transformation the Indian Railways has been able to achieve, the minister said, we have been able to ramp up track renewal to 476 km every month. In the last 64 years, freight loading has increased by 1344% in the Indian Railways. Passenger travel in terms of kilometers has increased 1642%. The total investments in 2013-14 in the capital infrastructure of Railways was slated for about 46000 crores, which is now made 1,41,000 crores for this year, he added, citing the scale of growth happened in last 5 years.
The Railways needs more engagement and investments in areas such as technological upgradation and modernization. The sector has huge technology issue. Transformation may not take shape without engagement with modern technology.
He further emphasized on Railway station redevelopment with Public Private partnerships. He reiterated to address the issues with measures, including extending the lease period, also allowing multiple leases.
He invited the industry to engage in these areas, also, to prioritize and focus on the actions to bring the desired transformation. The efforts of Industry-Railway working together can leave behind in the footprints of time, a better legacy than what we have inherited, he added.
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