Lok Sabha Question No. 1664 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-09
Subject: Carbon Footprint
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: PONNUSAMY VENUGOPAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1664 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2015

## CARBON FOOTPRINT

1664. DR. P. VENUGOPAL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  Railways  contributes  substantial reduction of carbon footprint than roadways;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  steps  being  taken  to  strengthen  the  rail  transport  to increase  its  intermodal  share  in  freight  traffic  in  the  next  15 years;
- (d) whether the Railways is considering to reduce emission intensity  by  32%  in  the  year  2030  over  the  year  2005  by improving rail traction fuel and energy efficiency by 8% to 14% over 2013; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) to (e):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1664  BY  DR.  P.  VENUGOPAL  TO  BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  09.12.2015  REGARDING  CARBON FOOTPRINT

(a) & (b): Yes Madam. Railways contribute to substantial reduction of  carbon  footprint  than  Roadways  as  evident  from  the  report  on 'Low Carbon Strategies for Inclusive Growth', published in the year 2014 by Planning Commission, the relevant extract of which is given below:

## Emissions from Rail and Road sector in 2007

| Transport Sector   |   GHG Emission(in Million tons of CO 2 equivalent) | Share of GHG Emission out of total   |
|--------------------|----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| Total              |                                             142.04 | 100%                                 |
| Road               |                                             123.55 | 87%                                  |
| Rail               |                                               6.84 | 4.8%                                 |

As compared to this, the share of Passenger & Freight traffic carried by Rail & Road sectors in 2010 out of the total traffic is as under:

| Transport Sector   | Passenger Traffic   | Freight Traffic   |
|--------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
| Road               | 84.69%              | 58.29%            |
| Rail               | 14.60%              | 41.69%            |

- (c) The strategies for strengthening the rail transport to increase inter modal share in freight traffic in the next 15 years includes-
- (i)    Operationalising  Eastern  &  Western  Dedicated  Freight Corridors;
- (ii) Substantial Capacity Augmentation and Network expansion;
- (iii) Upgrading the existing network including Electrification;
- (iv)  Augmentation of rolling stock with High Horse power Electric & Diesel locomotives and better design wagons with higher pay load to tare ratio.

(d)  &  (e):  Railways  has  planned  to  reduce  emission  intensity  by nearly    32 % in the year 2030 over the year 2005 by improving rail traction fuel and energy efficiency in freight traffic by   8 % to 13 % over 2013 and other efforts. Technological interventions for improving rail traction efficiency   inter-alia include-

- (i) Use of High Horse Power three phase Electric locomotives and Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) with regenerative breaking features;
- (ii) Modifications  to  the  existing  fleet  of  Diesel  Locos  to improve fuel efficiency;
- (iii) Fitment  of  Hotel  Load  Convertor  on  electric  and  diesel locomotives to supply to the utilities in trains;
- (iv) Use  of  energy  efficient  designs  of  electric  &  diesel  new locomotives;
- (v) Use  of  alternate  fuels  in  traction  such  as  Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

*****