Karandikars & Associates

Railways Electrification

Route kms represent the total distance between two points on a railway line, regardless of number of tracks connecting them

Running track kms represent combined length of all operational tracks on the railway line, excluding sidings and yards

Total track kms represent the running track kms plus the length of all additional tracks like sidings and yards

In pre-independence period, electrification remained confined to 388 Route kilometers (RKMs) and it is only in the post-independence period that further electrification was taken up. Since then, there has been no looking back and the Indian Railways have steadily electrified its routes

For 2022-23, Total Route kms were 68,584 km, of which 58,074 km or 84.7% were electrified

Running Track kms were 106,493 km, of which 92,358 km or 86.7% were electrified

If we scroll down the above Table, in 1950-51, Total Route kms were 53,596 km, of which only 388 km or just 0.7% were electrified. In terms of running track km, 937 km out of 59,315 km or 1.6% were electrified

India has come a long way in the last seven decades, with electrification now substantially complete

Railways electrification offers several advantages, like significant fuel cost savings and reduced dependence on imports (diesel), higher energy efficiency, lower pollution, faster speeds, reduced maintenance etc

View the trends graphically