Lok Sabha Question No. 5072 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: Use of Solar Energy in Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar, Smt. Shambhavi, Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5072

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.04.2025

## USE OF SOLAR ENERGY IN RAILWAYS

5072. SHRI NARESH GANPAT MHASKE:

SMT. SHAMBHAVI:

SHRI RAVINDRA DATTARAM WAIKAR:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of railway stations and train coaches equipped with solar panels so far since 2020, State-wise and year-wise;
- (b) the details of the initiatives taken by the Government to promote the use of solar energy in Railways to achieve energy efficiency;
- (c) the  details  of  the  Public-Private  Partnership  (PPP)  models  being explored  to  accelerate  solar  energy  adoption  in  train  coaches  and railway stations;
- (d) the details of the challenges faced by the Government in implementing solar energy solutions across railway stations and train coaches, and the steps taken to tackle them;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  data  on  the  expected  long-term financial  savings  for  the  Railways  through  increased  solar  energy usage, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (f)  whether the Government has detailed plans/roadmap for transitioning Railways to a more renewable energy-based system, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (f):  Indian  Railways  is  making  all  endeavors  to  promote  solar energy in line with the Government policies to proliferate renewable

energy, environmental sustainability and to achieve long-term financial savings. The transition to renewable energy is an ongoing process.

Indian  Railways  has  planned  to  progressively  procure  renewable energy  through  different  power  procurement  modes  for  Round  The Clock  (RTC)  power,  which  is  hybrid  solution  for  renewable  power includes  solar  and  wind  etc.  Most  of  the  work  of  setting  up  of  solar plants is undertaken by Railways through Power Purchase Agreement under developer mode.

During implementation of solar energy, many challenges like regulatory constraints, power evacuation and connectivity issues were faced by the railways. To tackle these issues, State Governments and Transmission Utilities were pursued on regular basis.

So  far,  about  209  MW  of  solar  plants  on  2249  Railway  stations  and service  buildings  across  the  country  have  been  provided.  State-wise and year-wise details are as under:

|       |                | Railway Stations Provided with Solar Plants (in Nos.)   | Railway Stations Provided with Solar Plants (in Nos.)   | Railway Stations Provided with Solar Plants (in Nos.)   |
|-------|----------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No. | State          | 2014-15 to 2019-20                                      | 2020-21 to February, 2025                               | Cumulative upto February, 2025                          |
| 1     | Rajasthan      | 73                                                      | 200                                                     | 275                                                     |
| 2     | Maharashtra    | 43                                                      | 213                                                     | 270                                                     |
| 3     | West Bengal    | 12                                                      | 222                                                     | 237                                                     |
| 4     | Uttar Pradesh  | 78                                                      | 93                                                      | 204                                                     |
| 5     | Andhra Pradesh | 33                                                      | 126                                                     | 198                                                     |
| 6     | Karnataka      | 86                                                      | 60                                                      | 146                                                     |
| 7     | Madhya Pradesh | 49                                                      | 74                                                      | 134                                                     |
| 8     | Odisha         | 30                                                      | 103                                                     | 133                                                     |
| 9     | Gujarat        | 11                                                      | 96                                                      | 112                                                     |
| 10    | Telangana      | 35                                                      | 60                                                      | 95                                                      |
| 11    | Bihar          | 25                                                      | 42                                                      | 81                                                      |
| 12    | Assam          | 27                                                      | 48                                                      | 78                                                      |

| S.No.   | State             |   2014-15 to 2019-20 |   2020-21 to February, 2025 |   Cumulative upto February, 2025 |
|---------|-------------------|----------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 13      | Tamil Nadu        |                   42 |                          31 |                               73 |
| 14      | Jharkhand         |                   10 |                          35 |                               47 |
| 15      | Haryana           |                    9 |                          23 |                               36 |
| 16      | Punjab            |                   19 |                          11 |                               30 |
| 17      | Uttarakhand       |                    1 |                          17 |                               18 |
| 18      | Himanchal Pradesh |                    1 |                          16 |                               17 |
| 19      | Tripura           |                   15 |                           1 |                               16 |
| 20      | Chhattisgarh      |                   10 |                           5 |                               16 |
| 21      | Kerala            |                   12 |                           1 |                               13 |
| 22      | Delhi             |                    4 |                           3 |                                8 |
| 23      | J & K             |                    2 |                           4 |                                6 |
| 24      | Nagaland          |                    0 |                           2 |                                2 |
| 25      | Meghalaya         |                    0 |                           1 |                                1 |
| 26      | Manipur           |                    0 |                           1 |                                1 |
| 27      | Chandigarh        |                    0 |                           1 |                                1 |
| 28      | Puducherry        |                    1 |                           0 |                                1 |
|         | Total             |                  628 |                        1489 |                             2249 |

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