Syllabus
GS Paper 3 – Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Context
The ‘mission 100% electrification’ project is about chasing a mirage of turning into a green railway; a large number of serviceable diesel locomotives will also become redundant
Source
The Hindu| Editorial dated 17th December 2024
The hidden cost of greenwashing the Indian Railways
The Indian Railways’ Mission 100% Electrification aims to transform the network into a “Green Railway.” While the goal is ambitious and projects environmental benefits, the policy has resulted in unintended consequences, such as rendering hundreds of diesel-electric locomotives redundant. This analysis explores the justification, challenges, and contradictions of the mission while shedding light on its economic and environmental realities.
Policy Justifications and Their Claims
- Saving Foreign Exchange: Electrification aims to reduce diesel usage, thereby saving foreign exchange spent on crude oil imports.
- Diesel consumption by the Indian Railways contributes just 2% of the total high-speed diesel (HSD) usage in India (2021-22).
- Comparatively, trucks account for 28% and agriculture 13.2%, making rail traction’s impact negligible.
- Environmental Considerations: The Railways aims to reduce emissions and use renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
- Official documents, like the 2021 Railway Pamphlet, stress clean energy goals.
- However, India still heavily depends on coal-based thermal plants for 50% of its electricity generation.
- Renewable Potential: Railway lands are envisioned for solar power projects to supplement clean energy initiatives.
- Current dependency on fossil fuels limits this transition, as solar energy accounts for a minor share of power generation.
The Wastage of Diesel Locomotives
- Idle Assets: As of March 31, 2023, 585 diesel locomotives were idling across rail yards; this number increased to 760 in 2024.
- Over 60% of these locomotives have a residual life of over 15 years, showcasing massive underutilization.
- Their premature redundancy leads to financial losses and a waste of taxpayer money.
- Colossal Length of Redundancy: If all stabled diesel locomotives are lined up, they would stretch to 16 km, underlining the scale of underutilization.
- Export of Used Locomotives: Recent efforts to re-engineer locomotives for Cape Gauge railways in Africa highlight innovative reuse but reflect a lack of foresight.
- This is the first time second-hand locomotives are being converted for export purposes.
- Strategic Stockpiling: Reports suggest that 2,500 locomotives will be retained for “disaster management and strategic purposes,” raising questions about the policy’s urgency.
Misleading Environmental Benefits
- Coal Dependency: Coal accounts for 50% of power generation, and the Railways itself depends on coal transportation for 40% of its freight revenue.
- Electric locomotives, therefore, indirectly rely on coal-powered electricity, undermining claims of environmental benefits.
- Pollution Shifting: Diesel locomotive emissions are replaced with coal-based power generation pollution in concentrated areas near thermal plants.
- This simply relocates pollution rather than eliminating it.
- Long-Term Renewable Targets: India must achieve 80% renewable energy generation for 100% electrification to be genuinely “green.”
- Such a transition is distant, given the current energy mix dominated by fossil fuels.
Financial and Operational Costs
- Wastage of Resources: Diesel locomotives with decades of service life are prematurely stabled, leading to massive losses.
- Investments in building and maintaining these locomotives are wasted, despite their continued utility.
- Bypassing Diesel Efficiency: Modern diesel-electric locomotives offer efficiency and reliability, making their premature sidelining economically questionable.
- Revenue Dependency on Coal: Electrification does not solve the paradox of coal’s dominance in Railways’ freight revenue, creating a contradiction in achieving sustainability goals.
Operational Dichotomy and Strategic Purpose
- Retention of Diesel Locomotives: The Railways plans to retain 3,500 diesel locomotives for disaster management and operational purposes.
- A supposed “100% electrified” Railways continuing to rely on diesel undercuts its core objective.
- Impact on Freight Services: The heavy dependence on coal transport for financial sustainability may disrupt operations during the electrification process.
- Strategic Contradictions: Retaining diesel locomotives for “strategic purposes” raises concerns about misaligned priorities and policy contradictions.
Policy Alternatives and Suggestions
- Balanced Electrification: Electrification should focus on high-traffic routes, allowing continued use of diesel locomotives on less viable routes.
- Hybrid Solutions: Consider hybrid solutions, such as dual-mode locomotives that combine diesel and electric traction, improving efficiency without redundancy.
- Gradual Transition to Renewables: Prioritize increasing renewable energy contributions before achieving “net-zero” emissions through electrification.
- Asset Management: Repurpose underutilized diesel locomotives effectively by exporting them or deploying them strategically.
Conclusion
The Indian Railways’ Mission 100% Electrification reflects an ambitious but poorly planned policy driven by optics rather than practical considerations. While environmental sustainability and foreign exchange savings are cited as justifications, the overdependence on coal-fired electricity and the wastage of serviceable diesel locomotives expose the contradictions of this mission. A balanced approach, prioritizing a phased electrification strategy and promoting renewable energy, is crucial to prevent financial and operational inefficiencies. The Indian Railways must align its goals with reality to ensure economic, environmental, and operational sustainability.
Related PYQ
Why is Public Private Partnership (PPP) required in infrastructural projects? Examine the role of PPP model in the redevelopment of Railway Stations in India. [ UPSC Civil Services Exam – Mains 2022]
Practice Question
Critically examine the Indian Railways’ Mission 100% Electrification, highlighting its economic, environmental, and operational challenges. Suggest a balanced approach to achieve sustainability goals? [250 words]
Guidelines for Answering the Question
- Introduction:
- Briefly introduce the Mission 100% Electrification and its stated goals of environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.
- Highlight the significance of Indian Railways in India’s economy and its role in freight and passenger transport.
- Body:
- Highlight economic wastage due to premature scrapping of diesel locomotives.
- Discuss the environmental paradox: reliance on coal-based electricity negates “Green Railway” claims.
- Highlight the importance of sustainability through innovative solutions like hybrid locomotives and renewable energy adoption.
- Conclusion:
- Emphasize the need for a balanced approach that aligns environmental goals with economic and operational realities.