The railway electrification drive is entering its final stretch, with only 269 km left to complete the green network | Today’s news

New Delhi: Indian Railways is on the verge of completing one of the largest railway electrification programs in the world, with only 269 Route Kilometers (RKM) remaining out of over 70,000 RKM of the broad gauge network, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Railways.

As of May 31, 2026, 70,002 RKM of the 70,271-RKM broad gauge network has been electrified, bringing the total coverage to 99.6%. This means the national carrier is on the verge of achieving 100% electrification, a milestone that should significantly reduce fuel costs, improve transport efficiency and help meet its ambitious zero-carbon target.

The remaining work is largely concentrated in a few states, including Karnataka (120 RKM), Tamil Nadu (68 RKM), Assam (55 RKM), Goa (16 RKM) and Rajasthan (10 RKM), reflecting the complexity of completing the last mile sections.

Quick answers to key questions

•5 QUESTIONS

As of May 2026, 70,002 route kilometers (RKM) of the broad gauge network of the Indian Railways have been electrified, achieving an overall coverage of 99.6%.

Electrification of Indian railways is critical to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030, underscoring the commitment to sustainable transport by reducing reliance on imported diesel and using renewable energy.

Indian Railways has earmarked ₹5,000 crore for electrification work in the financial year 2026-27 to expedite the completion of the remaining sections.

Completing the last stretches of electrification in states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is difficult due to difficult terrain and logistical issues.

Electric traction significantly reduces fuel costs, increases freight efficiency, enables regenerative braking and supports the deployment of more powerful locomotives, improving overall operational efficiency.

The railways allocated ₹5,000 crore for electrification work in 2026-27, with officials expecting the remaining sections to be completed during the current financial year, subject to implementation issues in difficult terrain.

Key things

• The railway is 99.6% electrified; nationwide, only 269 km of route now remain.
• Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Goa and Rajasthan hold the last unfinished sections.
• The pace of electrification jumped almost 14 times from 2009-14 to 2019-24.
• Electric traction costs 60% of diesel; viable on high-traffic freight routes.
• An expert warns that a heavy coal power grid is undermining the railways’ demands for ‘green’ electrification.

The electrification program is central to the railways’ strategy to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, four decades ahead of India’s economy-wide target of 2070. In addition to reducing reliance on imported diesel, electric traction also enables regenerative braking and greater use of renewable energy, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of rail transport.

An emailed query to the Ministry of Railways remained unanswered till press time.

The achievement represents the culmination of a program that has gained remarkable momentum over the past decade. Between 1948 and 2014, Indian Railways has cumulatively electrified about 21,400 RKM. In contrast, more than 48,000 RKM have been electrified since 2014, transforming the network into one of the world’s largest electrically operated rail systems.

More than just a fuel change, experts say

The average daily pace of electrification has similarly risen sharply – from 1.2 RKM per day during 2004-09 and 1.7 RKM per day during 2009-14 to 7.5 RKM per day during 2014-19 and 16.7 RKM per day during 2019-24.

The latest figures show that 25 states and Union Territories have already achieved 100% electrification. At the zonal level, 14 of the 18 zones of the Indian Railways have fully electrified their broad gauge networks, with only a few sections awaiting completion across the North West, North East Frontier, Southern and South Western Railways.

Former Executive Director, Planning, Railways, V. Shanker, said the program represented much more than a shift in traction technology.

“Indian Railways’ decision to achieve 100% route electrification is much more than just a change in traction – it is a transformational step towards building a cleaner, faster and more efficient national transport system,” he said.

According to Shanker, electric traction will allow the widespread deployment of 9,000 and 12,000 horsepower locomotives, which will allow heavier freight trains to move faster while improving acceleration, reducing transit time and increasing track capacity.

He also said that a fully electrified network creates the basis for distributed traction in commuter and semi-high-speed passenger trains, improving acceleration, energy efficiency and passenger comfort.

“Once the network completes its transition to electric traction, it will become one of the world’s largest green rail systems, setting the benchmark for sustainable transport,” Shanker added.

Former member of the Railway Board Jain said the economics of electrification have always favored electric traction.

“Without getting into high-sounding words like sustainability goals and clean energy transition, the fact is that direct fuel costs for electric traction are only around 60% of diesel traction,” Jain said.

Railways has saved 178 million liters of diesel in 2024-25 compared to 2016-17, a saving of 62%, reducing dependence on oil imports. The railroads spent ₹32,378 crore on traction power consumption in 2024-25.

A truly eco-friendly destination?

The almost complete electrification of Indian railways also ranks it among the most extensive electrified rail networks in the world. The transition is expected to improve operational flexibility by eliminating changes in locomotives between diesel and electric areas, reducing maintenance costs and increasing network capacity.

While the railroads may pursue electrification as a lofty ideal, there are naysayers.

“Electrification has recently been promoted as a clean energy option, few realize that the electricity that powers it is mainly generated from coal and gas,” Shubhranshu, former head of Rail Wheel Plant, Bela and industry expert.

Shubhranshu argued that electrification alone does not make rail transport more sustainable, noting that no other major freight railway worldwide has implemented or plans to fully electrify. Because traction energy is a small part of total operating costs, 100% electrification could actually be an inefficient way to reduce costs, he added.