The Indian Railways’ Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central or the popularly known Chennai Central Station has gone completely green. This South Central Railway (SCR) station is meeting the 100 per cent day energy requirement target by solar panels – installed on the platform shelters of the station.

The Union Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, proudly announced this on his Tweeter and said: “100% Day energy requirement of Chennai Central Station is met by #SolarPower.”

The solar capacity installed in the station is 1.5 MW and it meets the day time needs of the station.

The SCR zone is the first in Indian Railways to come up with the concept of ‘Energy Neutral’ railway stations. That is these stations are capable of meeting 100% energy requirements by using natural solar power through Solar PhotoVoltaic (SPV) panels. These panels were commissioned on about13 station buildings.

Panels have been fixed at different locations and stations like Chennai Central, MMC complex, Katpadi, Tambaram, Mambalam, Guindy and Chengalpattu suburban stations and several other railway offices.

A report in The Hindu quoting senior officials said: “All the power needs of 13 stations like lighting, fans, pumps and other electrical appliances are met through the solar energy generated and this is bringing down the net traditional energy consumption at these stations to zero.”

With the aim to harness varied sources of renewable energy windmill plants have been installed at Kayathar in Tuticorin district under Madurai division of Southern Railway. The total capacity of these plants is 10.5 MW.

By 2030, the Indian Railways plans to be a Net Zero Carbon Emitter. To meet its power needs, the Railways is planning to set up solar plants on unused vacant railway land.

Also read: Coming soon from Indian Railways – Shri Ramayana Yatra tour train