Union Minister of Railways Suresh P. Prabhu has stated that the Railways is planning to save about ₹41,000 crore energy bill over the next 10 years by setting up solar, wind and waste energy units in railway stations and other properties.
Speaking after inaugurating/flagging-off/laying foundation stone for several projects at various places across the South Central Railway (SCR) limits through remote video-linkage from Hi-tech City Railway Station here on Saturday, he said the Railways had saved about ₹4,000 crore in energy bill with the help of renewable energy sources since he had taken over.
“We plan to set up 500 MW roof-top and 500 MW land-based solar units in railway stations and properties across the country. We are also into wind energy generation with 26 MW plants and planning generation of energy from solid waste generated in railway stations and facilities,” Mr. Suresh Prabhu said explaining the plans.
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Focus on Telangana
Giving a local example, the Railway Minister said by commissioning the 225 kWp (kilowatt peak) solar energy facility in Hyderabad station the SCR would be saving over ₹2 lakh every day on the energy bill. The plans of renewable energy generation would help meet both traction and non-traction energy needs of railways, he stated.
Turning to Telangana, Mr. Suresh Prabhu said the State was like a new-born baby and the railways had plans to nourish and hand-hold in its steps of development. He explained that ₹1,729 crore had been allocated for infrastructure development in Telangana for 2017-18 and it was 187% higher than the allocation during the current year.
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Similarly, an amount of ₹1,375 crore was allocated for construction of new lines in Telangana in 2017-18 with 340% increase from only ₹312 crore given in the current financial year. Another ₹449 crore was allocated for doubling and tripling of railway lines in the State with 52% higher allocation than 2016-17.
On the State Government request for parting with about 32 acres railways land in the City for development works (construction of double-bedroom houses for the poor), Mr. Suresh Prabhu said he had already directed the SCR authorities to look into the matter and any land that was not required for railway development works would be given away.
Halts at Hi-tech City
He also announced stoppage of Bhubaneshwar-Mumbai Konark Express and Secunderabad-Pune Express trains at Hi-tech City railway station for the benefit of passengers from the IT corridor. Escalators and lifts would be installed at all railway stations across the country over a period of time for the convenience of senior citizens and physically-challenged persons.
Union Minister for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya, MPs A.P. Jitender Reddy, Ch. Malla Reddy, K. Kavitha, D. Srinivas, B.B. Patil, Hyderabad Mayor B. Rammohan and others spoke. SCR GM eneral Manager of SCR Vinod Kumar Yadav and others participated.