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Eastern Railway Saves Rs 65 Crore, Slashes Carbon Footprint in 2025-26

Eastern Railway saved over Rs 65 crore and reduced its carbon footprint in 2025-26 through improved energy planning. The zone generated 22.15 million units of solar energy, a 3.40% increase, saving Rs 12.13 crore. Better power factor utilisation and regeneration from 508 three-phase locomotives contributed further savings. A forced shutdown of diesel locomotives saved 3,277.26 kilolitres of high-speed diesel, worth Rs 30.56 crore.

Key Points: Eastern Railway Saves Rs 65 Cr, Cuts Carbon Footprint in 2025-26

  • Solar energy generation up 3.40% to 22.15 MU, saving Rs 12.13 crore
  • Power factor improvement saved Rs 4.40 crore cumulative
  • 508 three-phase locomotives saved Rs 16.86 crore in March 2026
  • Diesel locomotive shutdown saved 3,277.26 kilolitres HSD, worth Rs 30.56 crore
2 min read

Eastern Railway claims savings, reduced carbon footprint in 2025-26 through better energy planning

Eastern Railway saved Rs 65 cr and reduced carbon footprint in 2025-26 through solar energy, better power factor, energy regeneration, and diesel locomotive shutdowns.

"ER generated 22.15 Million Units (MU) of solar energy in 2025-26, registering a 3.40 per cent increase over the previous year. - Shibram Majhi"

Kolkata, April 23

By generating and utilising more solar energy, improving power factor, regenerating energy and shutting down diesel locomotives, Eastern Railway claims to have made a major impact by reducing costs and carbon footprint in 2025-26.

"ER generated 22.15 Million Units (MU) of solar energy in 2025-26, registering a 3.40 per cent increase over the previous year. This resulted in a saving of Rs 12.13 crore, which was a 6.50 per cent rise over the previous year," Shibram Majhi, CPRO, Eastern Railway, said.

Power factor is another important electrical engineering metrics which lead to saving in energy consumption, he explained. The zonal railway recorded a cumulative saving of Rs 4.40 crore up to February 2026 in the financial year due to better power factor utilisation, he said.

A saving of traction energy bill worth Rs 1.36 crore in March 2026 was recorded through better power factor utilisation, he claimed.

"Regeneration of energy by utilisation of 3-phase electric locomotives is another important contributor to energy saving. ER succeeded in saving Rs 16.86 crore in energy bills through the use of 508 three-phase locomotives in March 2026. The average monthly saving through the year has been Rs 14.43 crore across Eastern Railway," Majhi said.

As Eastern Railway is fully electrified, it undertook a forced shutdown of diesel locomotives during the year. This resulted in considerable savings in fossil fuel consumption. The total quantity of High Speed Diesel (HSD) saved was nearly 3,277.26 kilo litres in 2025-26. This led to a saving of Rs 30.56 crore, the CPRO added.

The Eastern Railway (ER) is one of the 19 zones of the Indian Railways, headquartered at Fairley Place, Kolkata. Established on April 14, 1952, it currently serves West Bengal, Jharkhand, and parts of Bihar, covering a total electrified network of approximately 2,848 km.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Aditya G
Impressive numbers but let's be real – 22.15 MU of solar energy is still a drop in the ocean for a network spanning almost 3,000 km. We need more aggressive targets and faster deployment. The potential is immense, especially in sunny states like Jharkhand and Bihar.
M
Michael C
Great to see Indian Railways embracing technology for efficiency. The 3-phase locomotive regeneration savings of ₹14-16 crore monthly is impressive. This is exactly the kind of practical innovation that developing economies need – low-hanging fruit with immediate returns.
R
Ravi K
As someone who travels frequently on ER trains, I'm happy to see these savings. But the real test is whether this translates to better services for passengers – cleaner trains, fewer delays, lower fares. Hope the money saved goes back into improving passenger experience. 🙏
S
Sarah B
It's refreshing to see a government entity actually quantify and share its environmental achievements. 3,277 kilolitres of diesel saved is equivalent to taking hundreds of trucks off the road. Kudos to Eastern Railway for transparency and real results.
K
Kavya N
Good progress but we need to accelerate the shift to renewable energy. Solar generation increased only 3.4% – that's too slow for a country with India's solar potential. Railways should consider installing panels on station rooftops and along tracks wherever possible. ☀️
N
Nikhil

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