MillenniumPost
Delhi

Solar project in Katra station to save `1 cr energy bill for Railways

In keeping with the motto of ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ for sustainable development and as a significant way to thwart climate change impact, the Northern Railway has been undertaking several green initiatives. As the use of solar power is a near-consistent and reliable source of energy, the Railways has been on a steady pursuit meeting energy needs through a planned green agenda. 

One of the most significant achievements in the current year was the installation of the 1 Mega-watt solar power plant Katra.

While inaugurating opening of Udhampur-Katra new Railway Line of USBRL Project (a National Project ), on July 4, 2014, the Prime Minister directed to provide solar power plant at Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station as a green energy initiative to be a part of the National Solar Mission. Accordingly, the first ever largest solar power plant on the Indian Railways and the biggest rooftop solar power plant in J and K state having capacity of 1 MWp was commissioned at Katra railway station on March 27, 2015.

The accrued benefit envisaged was reduction of 10,000 tonne of carbon dioxide per annum, saving Rs 1 crore per annum on energy bills of the Railway. This plant was commissioned in three phases, that is,  in the first phase 300 KWp at platform no-2/3 in December 2014. In the second phase 500 KWp at platform no-1 in January 2015 and 200 KWp in the final phase on the roof top of the station building in March 2015.

In keeping with its objective to resort to more eco-friendly measures and a step to strengthen the mechanism to cater to energy demands, Northern Railway has installed a 25 kb power solar energy panel at Gurgaon station in collaboration with RITES, followed by installation of solar power panels at Bahadurgarh railway station, Diwana (near Panipat), Divisional Control Building in DRM office, New Delhi, Delhi Cantt, Sahibabad and with concomitant measures like installation of solar geysers at Northern Railway Central Hospital.

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