Railways on fast track to achieve its 100% electrification target by 2024

India is now much ahead of other large railway networks in the world in terms of electrification - with the US at just 1 per cent, China at 72 per cent and Europe at 60 per cent

When the idea of transforming the Indian Railways into a 100 per cent electrified service was first mooted in 2017, there were protests from all corners. Some analysts said the target was unviable, and others pointed to the risks of grid failure. The strongest opposition came from US major General Electric, which was worried about the fate of the $2.5-billion diesel locomotive manufacturing contract that it had signed with the government in 2015 to deliver 1,000 locomotives over 10 years under the signature “Make in India” project.

Five years on, India’s share of electrified tracks has increased from 40 per