Diesel vs electric traction

Does Electrification save Foreign Exchange ?

• Electrification ends up draining the Foreign exchange, instead of saving it.
• The classic case is Ernakulam - Trivandrum Electrification at Minus 29% rate of return, tapping Power from a Diesel Power station of Nallalam.
• Capital investment in Power plants is mostly by way of imported equipment.

To Sum up,

• It is quite obvious that
• Electrification of Railways
• is leading to:
• Dieselisation of the Industry,
• Agriculture and Domestic Sector
• Increased Fossil Fuel Consumption
• and not Reduction
• Higher Outflow of Foreign Exchange
• and not savings for the Nation

Is Electric Traction only Marginally Capital intensive ?

Is Electric Traction only marginally Capital intensive ?

• The Nation pays dearly by spending our scarce Capital to create this vast infrastructure and to sustain it.
• On the Diesel traction, a modest engine is all that we require.

Power Requirement of a 5000 HP Electric Locomotive

Electric Traction is prohibitively Capital intensive

Break-even Level as Assessed by various Committees

Sections under Electrification recently

GMT of Non-electrified sections on All India basis

Breakeven was given a Go By since no sections on IR in 1996 qualified for Electrification on 49 GMT basis and the CORE was facing a closure.

• Breakeven was given a Go By since no sections on IR in 1996 qualified for Electrification on 49 GMT basis and the CORE was facing a closure.
• If ROR should only be the criterion, can we de-electrify the low density routes already electrified ?
• If Oil prices come down, as it did from $36 in 1979 to $9 in 1998, can we attempt de-electrification of the entire country based on ROR ?

Recommendations of Gujral Committee - 1990

• For the period 1990-2005, Electrification of 2510 KMs recommended.
• Electrification recommended @ 214 Kms per year
• Sections specifically recommended for Not Electrifying already electrified.
• Actual Electrification done between 1990 and 2000 has been 5000 KMs which is double of what was recommended.
• Rate of Electrification is 2.33 times of what was recommended.