First train with solar powered coaches flag off by Prabhu

New Delhi: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today flagged-off the first 1600 HP Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) coach equipped with solar-powered load system from Safdarjung station here. The entire electrical need of the coaches for lighting, fans and information display system would be met from the solar energy produced from the solar panels fitted in the roofs of coaches.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Prabhu while stressing that Railways was committed for environment protection and use of cleaner fuel said, “Indian Railways has taken a path breaking leap towards making Indian Railways’ trains greener and more environment friendly”. He said Railways was trying to increase the use of non-conventional sources of energy adding that more solar powered trains might be inducted in the future.

The Railways was also taking several others environment-friendly measures like tea plantation, bio-toilet, water-recycling, waste disposal, using bio-fuel CNG and LNG and wind energy. Railways had already made a target of 1000 MW solar plants in the next five-years, he added. Notably, a solar power DEMU train with six trailer coaches would save about 21,000 litres of diesel and thereby bring cost saving of Rs 12 lakh every year.

Savings for a 10 coach rake with eight trailer coaches would increase proportionately. These benefits would continue for entire 25 years life time of the rake. This would also help in making DEMU commuter services better, more economical and environment friendly. While the train had been manufactured by the Coach Factory of Indian Railways -- Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, its solar panels and solar systems have been developed and fitted by the Indian Railways Organisation of Alternative Fuel (IROAF) Delhi.

This first rake had been commissioned and based at Shakurbasti DEMU shed in Delhi of Northern Railway. Member Rolling Stock Ravindra Gupta, General Manager Northern Railway R K Kulshreshtha, CAO of IROAF Ravinder Gupta, and other Railwat officials were present. As many as 24 more coaches would be fitted with this system within the next six months. The first rake would be put in the commercial service over the suburban railway system of Delhi division of Northern Railway. (UNI)