Railway Environment Initiatives
Railway Environment Initiatives
Overview
Indian Railways, the 4th largest network in the world, has pledged to become a “Net-Zero Carbon Emitter” by 2030. Through a multi-pronged strategy—electrification, renewables, water & waste management, green certifications and eco-friendly stations—Railways is transforming itself into the greenest mode of mass transportation.
Key Facts & Figures
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Net-Zero target year | 2030 (first major railway in Asia) |
| Total route electrified (Mar-25) | 85 % (≈ 57,000 RKm) |
| Solar capacity commissioned (Dec-25) | 1,750 MW (rooftop + ground-mounted) |
| Wind capacity commissioned | 103 MW (Jaisalmer & Tamil Nadu) |
| Bio-toilets installed | 2.05 lakh coaches (100 % fleet) |
| Water-recycling plants | 700+ stations & 50 depots |
| GreenCo rated workshops | 42 (including 6 Platinum) |
| CNG/LNG converted DEMU trains | 14 rakes (1,000 HP) |
| Head-on-Generation (HOG) savings | ₹1,200 cr/yr; 1.35 lakh tonne CO₂ |
| Energy-efficient LED lights | 100 % of stations & 95 % of colonies |
| Afforestation drive (2017-25) | 1.3 crore trees; CSR funding ₹300 cr |
| Plastic-free stations (Aug-25) | 1,050 stations (5-star & above) |
| Green certifications (CRI, IGBC) | 150 stations, 30 buildings, 10 hubs |
| Per-passenger CO₂ drop vs 2014 | 32 % lower |
| Annual fuel bill saved via green tech | ₹6,000 crore (FY-25) |
Important Points
- 100 % electrification of Broad-Gauge routes targeted by Dec-2025.
- “Solar Mission 2025” – 20 GW solar by 2030; 10 GW on vacant land, 3 GW on rooftop.
- First “Green Rail Corridor” – Chennai–Kanyakumari & Mysuru-Bengaluru (zero toilet discharge).
- “Station Solar Roof” policy – 550 MW rooftop solar on 8,000 stations (PPA tariff ₹3.45/kWh).
- Kavach-based regenerative braking saves 15 % traction energy.
- Water-positive stations: recycle 110 crore litres/yr; meet 40 % non-potable demand.
- E-waste & battery recycling MoU with MOEF & CPCB since 2023.
- Green Finance: ₹30,000 cr “Green Bonds” issued by IRFC for solar & electrification.
- Biodiversity Policy 2022 – eco-bridges, elephant underpasses, bee-boxes along 1,200 km elephant corridors.
- CNG conversion of 700 HP DEMUs cuts NOx by 30 %; LNG trial by 2026.
- ISO 14001 EMS certification for 60 Production Units & 8 Zonal HQ buildings.
- “One Station-One Product” eco-stalls promote bamboo, khadi & biodegradable items.
- Free saplings to rail passengers on World Environment Day – 1 crore distributed since 2021.
- Carbon footprinting tool “RailCarbon” launched 2024 for real-time monitoring.
- Railways earns ₹400 cr/yr by selling carbon credits (CDM & VCS schemes).
Frequently Asked in Exams
- Year & target of Indian Railways’ Net-Zero pledge – 2030.
- Total installed solar & wind capacity (latest) – 1,750 MW & 103 MW.
- Number of bio-toilets & first zero-discharge corridor.
- Head-on-Generation (HOG) system & its benefit in ₹ & CO₂.
- Green Bonds issued by IRFC & amount.
Practice MCQs
Question:01 Indian Railways has committed to become a Net-Zero carbon emitter by
A) 2027
B) 2030
C) 2035
D) 2047
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Indian Railways has officially announced its target to achieve Net-Zero carbon emissions by the year 2030 through electrification, renewable energy adoption, and energy-efficiency measures.
Question:02 As on Dec 2025, what is the total solar capacity commissioned by Railways?
A) 750 MW
B) 1,000 MW
C) 1,750 MW
D) 2,500 MW
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Indian Railways had commissioned a cumulative 1,750 MW of solar capacity across rooftops and land-based projects by December 2025, aligning with its net-zero carbon target for 2030.
Question:03 India’s first Green Rail Corridor (zero toilet discharge) is
A) Mumbai–Ahmedabad
B) Chennai–Kanyakumari
C) Howrah–Puri
D) Delhi–Jaipur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The 114-km Chennai–Kanyakumari stretch was declared India’s first Green Rail Corridor in July 2016, ensuring zero toilet discharge on tracks through the provision of bio-toilets in all coaches.
Question:04 How much money is saved annually through Head-on-Generation (HOG) technology?
A) ₹600 cr
B) ₹900 cr
C) ₹1,200 cr
D) ₹1,800 cr
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Indian Railways saves about ₹1,200 crore every year by replacing power cars with Head-on-Generation (HOG) technology that draws electricity directly from the locomotive.
Question:05 The fuel used in newly converted eco-friendly DEMU rakes is
A) Biodiesel
B) CNG
C) Ethanol
D) Hydrogen
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Indian Railways has retrofitted Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) rakes to run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), making them more eco-friendly by cutting particulate and NOx emissions.
Question:06 Which organisation issues Green Bonds for Railway solar projects?
A) IRCTC
B) IRFC
C) CONCOR
D) RVNL
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) is the dedicated financing arm of Indian Railways and is authorised to issue Green Bonds to fund environmentally sustainable projects, including Railway solar initiatives.
Question:07 Approximate percentage of route kilometre electrified in Indian Railways as on 31 March 2025 is
A) 65 %
B) 75 %
C) 85 %
D) 95 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: As per Railway Board data, about 85 % of the total route kilometres had been electrified by 31 March 2025.
Question:08 The number of plastic-free stations declared by Indian Railways (Aug 2025) is
A) 550
B) 750
C) 1,050
D) 1,500
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: As of August 2025, Indian Railways has officially declared 1,050 stations as plastic-free, aligning with its sustainability and environmental conservation initiatives.
Question:09 Under the Station Solar Roof policy, power is procured at tariff (per kWh) of
A) ₹2.50
B) ₹3.45
C) ₹4.20
D) ₹5.00
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: As per Indian Railways’ Station Solar Roof policy, solar power is procured at a tariff of ₹3.45 per kWh.
Question:10 The real-time carbon accounting tool launched by Railways in 2024 is called
A) RailCarbon
B) EcoRail
C) GreenTrack
D) CarbonSaathi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Indian Railways introduced “RailCarbon” in 2024 as its dedicated real-time carbon accounting and emission-tracking tool to monitor and reduce carbon footprints across operations.
BETA
