Focus on low-carbon inter-urban passenger and freight transport, and tools like NAMAs for technology transfer and financing Indian Railways is in process of evolving a roadmap for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. It intends to club all its projects in the rail sector for the proposal under Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The matter was discussed during a workshop organized by Ministry of Railways and Asian Development Bank on NAMAs in inter-urban rail in New Delhi on May 23. According to Indian Railways, the objective is to reduce GHG emissions through low-carbon inter-urban passenger and freight transport, and tools like NAMAs can be used for technology transfer and financing.

The projects include dedicated freight corridor, doubling of lines, construction of new lines, electrification of trains, investments in terminals, investments in locomotives, coaches, wagons and technology up gradation, among others. The present green initiatives include induction of light weight stainless steel coaches and new design of freight stock, high-horsepower and fuel efficient diesel locomotives, double-decker trains and suburban trains with regenerative braking features. Indian Railways plans to increase the renewable energy share from 10 per cent to 20 per cent by 2020. At present, Indian Railways is harnessing wind and solar energy from its 10.5 MW wind mill plant and solar PV modules of about 5 MW installed at railways stations and buildings.

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