Indian Railways’ electrification completes 100 years: States with most electric traction

New Delhi: Indian Railways today celebrate 100 years of the first electric train in the country. On February 3, 1925, Indian Railways took a step towards electrification. Today, Indian Railways has covered 97.06 per cent of electric traction. In the calendar year of 2024, around 3,210 route km were electrified. Indian Railways is making all efforts to achieve the goal of 100 per cent electrification soon.

As we celebrate 100 years of electrification in Indian Railways, let’s look at the top electrified states in India.

Top electrified states in India

Complete list of states with the total number of electrified routes

Source: indianrailways.gov.in

Indian Railways increasingly uses electric trains to reduce its reliance on petroleum-based energy. This switch allows heavier loads to be pulled at higher speeds, improving efficiency. Electric trains are also better for the environment and more energy-efficient due to modern high-powered locomotives that have regenerative braking.

Electric traction began on Indian Railways on February 3, 1925, between Bombay Victoria Terminus and Kurla Harbour using a 1.5 kV DC system. By March 2008, electrification had expanded to 18145 route kilometres, covering 28.65 per cent of the entire railway network and 36.42 per cent of the broad gauge system.

Electric Multiple Units (EMU)

The first 1500V DC EMUs, introduced in Bombay in 1925, were built by Cammell Laird (UK) and Uerdingenwagonfabrik (Germany). Later models were supplied by Breda (Italy).

Today, Indian Railways runs electric multiple units in several suburban areas, like Mumbai, Chennai, and Calcutta. In Mumbai, the EMUs use 1.5kV DC and are classified from WCU-1 to WCU-15. Most EMUs, like resistance banks, use DC traction motors with rheostatic control to manage the power supply.

 This article commemorates 100 years of electric train service on Indian Railways, beginning February 3, 1925. It highlights the significant progress in electrification, reaching 97.06% coverage by January 2025. The piece explores the top electrified states.   knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge