(a) whether Guwahati railway station has become the first solar powered railway station;
(b) if so, whether the Government proposes to convert railway stations of Jharkhand also to solar powered stations;
(c) if so, the targets set by the Government in this regard; and
(d) the approximate yearly expenditure of railways on diesel and electricity?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)
(a) No, Madam.
(b) & (c) Action has been taken to convert major stations of Jharkhand State into solar powered stations. Till date, following stations in Jharkhand have been converted into partly solar powered railway stations:
i) Tatanagar – 350 Kilo Watt Peak (kWp)
ii) Chakradharpur – 40 kWp
iii) Rajkarsawan – 2 kWp
Further, Dhanbad and Gomoh Railway Stations will be partially powered by solar plant of 641.365 kWp capacity including hospital and workshop and this work is targeted to be completed by 2018-19.
(d) Expenditure on diesel is ?17070 Cr. & ?17959 Cr. in the year 2016-17 & 2017-18 respectively and expenditure on electricity is ? 11263 Cr. & ? 11894 Cr. in the year 2016-17 & 2017-18 respectively.
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