RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATION

HISTORY & PRESENT STATUS

Electric traction was first introduced on 3rd February 1925 on the then Great
Indian Peninsular Railway (GIPR) between Bombay VT to Kurla Harbour (16 Route
kilometers) on 1500 V DC system. It was further extended up to Igatpuri & Pune. On
BB & CI Railway (now Western Railway), the first electric train on 1500 V DC was
introduced in 1928 between Colaba & Andheri. Same success story was replicated
again between Madras Beach & Tambaram section on 15.11.1931. During preindependence period, electrification remained confined to 388 Route kilometers and
it is only in the post independence period that further electrification was taken up.
Electrification of Howrah-Burdwan section was taken up on 3000 V DC during the
first five year plan & the same was completed in 1958. Changing times and a series
of events led Indian Railways to switch over to 25 kV AC electrification; the first
section being Raj Kharswan- Dongaposi of South Eastern Railway in the year 1960.
Howrah-Burdwan of Eastern Railway & Madras Beach-Tambaram section of
Southern Railway were subsequently converted to 25 kV AC by the year 1968.
Similarly challenging task of conversion from DC to AC has been successfully
completed on 05.02.2012 on the entire Western Railway portion.

Since then there has been no looking back and Indian Railways have slowly
but steadily electrified its routes. By March 2014, electrification on Indian Railways
has been extended to 24891 RKMs which includes 25 RKMs of Kolkata Metro. This
constitutes 38.04% of the total Railway Network and 43.56% of the BG system
respectively.

PROGRESS (1925-2014)
Plan period wise progress of electrification
Plan Period
Pre-Independence 1925-1947
1st Plan 1951-56
2nd Plan 1956-61
3rd Plan
Annual Plan 1966-69
4th Plan 1969-74
5th Plan 1974-78
Inter Plan 1978-80
6th Plan 1980-85
7th Plan 1985-90
Inter Plan 1990-92
8th Plan 1992-97
9th Plan 1997-02
10th Plan 2002-07
11th Plan 2007-12
1st year 2012-13
th
12 Plan
2nd year 2013-14

RKM Electrified
388
141
216
1678
814
954
533
195
1522
2812
1557
2708
2484
1810
4556
1317
1350

RKM Cumulative
388
529
745
2423
3237
4190
4723
4918
6440
9252
10809
13517
16001
17811
22224
23541
24891*

* 168 RKM MG electrified line dismantled & 25 RKM of Kolkata Metro Railway
included in 11th Plan.
With the progressive electrification, metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai and
Kolkata have already been interconnected with electric traction, besides also
connecting Chennai to Delhi. Even Mumbai - Chennai route is partially electrified
which includes Guntakal-Pune on which electrification work is in progress which
when completed will bridge the remaining gap.
Proportion of traffic as on 31.3.2012 on various modes of rail transport as
per Indian Railways Year Book 2011-12 are as under: As per year Book 2011-12
As on 31.03.12
Electric
Diesel
Goods
65.60% 34.40%
Coaching
50.40% 49.60%

Calculated as on
31.03.14
Electric
Diesel
66.70%
33.30
50.40%
49.60

YEAR WISE & PLAN WISE PROGRESS OF ELECTRIFICATION

Target
(RKM)

Year

1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
Total

475
500
435
460
430
2300

2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
Total

450
520
300
170
360
1800

2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
Total

500
900
1000
1000
1100
4500

2012-13
2013-14
2014-15

1200
1300
1300

Achievement
(RKM)

Expenditure
(Rs. in Cr.)

IXth Plan (1997 - 02)

445
319.32
617
328.73
405
320.34
414
304.83
603
271.34
2484
1544.56
Xth Plan (2002-07)
455
251.97
504
205.73
320
115.34
170
73.35
361
241.74
1810
888.13
th
XI Plan (2007-12)
502
464.58
797
784.63
1117
714.69
975
657.28
1165
832.09
4556
3453.27
XIIth Plan (2012-17)
1317
967.61
1350
1264.80
In Progress
1206.00

Total Target/
Achievement
(RKM)

2300/2484

1800/1810

4500/4556

6500/2667
(upto March
2014)

BREAK UP OF FUNDS ALLOCATION DURING 2014-15

RE PLAN HEAD
CAPITAL
DF(4)
Cap(Bonds)
Total

Rs. in Crores
403
3.00
800
1206

SHARE OF FUNDS AMONG CORE/ALD, RVNL & ECOR

Agency
CORE
RVNL
ECoR
Total

Outlay During 2014-15 Rs. in Crores

977
206
23
1206
3