India’s Railways Are Almost Fully Electrified — Why This Silent Revolution Matters

Indian Railways has crossed a historic milestone. By November 2025, about 99.2% of its rail network had been electrified, placing India among the most extensively electrified railway systems in the world. What began as a slow, century-long experiment has turned into a rapid, large-scale transformation over the last decade — one that reshapes how India moves people, goods, and energy.

A quiet but profound shift on the tracks

Once heavily dependent on diesel locomotives, Indian Railways is now overwhelmingly powered by electricity. Under Mission 100% Electrification, overhead wires have spread across nearly the entire Broad Gauge network, making electric traction the default rather than the exception.

This shift is not merely about speed or technology. Electrification reduces pollution, cuts operating costs, and lowers dependence on imported fossil fuels. Alongside this, Indian Railways has begun integrating renewable energy — especially solar power — into stations, yards, and traction systems, reinforcing the move toward cleaner transport.

A century-long journey that accelerated in a decade

India’s electrification story began in 1925, when the first electric train ran between Bombay Victoria Terminus and Kurla Harbour using a 1,500-volt DC system. It was a modest suburban stretch, but a landmark moment in railway history.

Progress remained gradual for decades. At Independence, only 388 route kilometres (RKMs) were electrified, with steam and diesel dominating operations. Even by 2000, electrification covered just about a quarter of the network.

The real break came in the last decade. Electrification speed jumped from around 1.42 km per day between 2004 and 2014 to over 15 km per day between 2019 and 2025. By November 2025, a total of 69,427 RKMs — about 99.2% of the Broad Gauge network — stood electrified, with nearly 46,900 RKMs completed since 2014 alone.

Wiring the final miles

Out of roughly 70,001 RKMs of Broad Gauge routes, only about 574 RKMs — less than 1% — remain to be electrified. Twenty-five States and Union Territories have already achieved 100% electrification.

Residual work is limited to a handful of states such as Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, and Goa, where difficult terrain, ongoing line doubling, or operational constraints have slowed completion. The finish line, however, is clearly in sight.

Why electrification matters beyond trains

Electrification is central to India’s broader economic and environmental strategy. Electric traction is about 70% more economical than diesel, improves acceleration and hauling capacity, and lowers maintenance costs. It also enhances energy security by allowing railways to draw power from multiple sources, including renewables.

Beyond rail operations, electrified corridors stimulate regional development, improve freight reliability, and support industrial and rural growth along railway lines — making railways a backbone of inclusive infrastructure.

India in global perspective

With 99.2% electrification, India now ranks among the world’s leading rail networks. According to data compiled by the International Union of Railways, only a handful of countries approach similar levels.

While Switzerland has achieved 100% electrification, major railway systems such as China (82%), Japan (64%), France (60%), and the UK (39%) lag behind India in overall network coverage. This comparison underlines the scale of India’s achievement, especially given the size and diversity of its rail system.

Solar power: energising a greener railway

Electrification has been paired with a sharp push toward renewable energy. Indian Railways’ solar capacity expanded from just 3.68 MW in 2014 to 898 MW by November 2025 — a nearly 244-fold increase.

Solar installations now cover 2,626 railway stations nationwide. About 70% of this capacity (629 MW) supports traction power, directly feeding electric train operations, while the rest meets non-traction needs such as station lighting, workshops, and residential quarters. This dual use reduces electricity costs and carbon emissions simultaneously.

Engineering speed through technology

Faster electrification has been enabled by new construction technologies. Cylindrical mechanised foundations, installed through augering, have replaced labour-intensive excavation for overhead equipment. Automatic Wiring Trains now install catenary and contact wires simultaneously, with precise tension control and far greater speed.

Together, these innovations have reduced delays, improved quality, and allowed large sections of track to be electrified with minimal disruption to traffic.

More than modernisation

Railway electrification is no longer just a technical upgrade. It represents a structural shift in how India imagines transport — cleaner, cheaper, and more resilient. What was once a diesel-driven behemoth is rapidly becoming a modern, electrified network that moves millions with less noise, less cost, and less carbon.

As the final kilometres are wired, this “silent revolution” stands as one of independent India’s most consequential infrastructure achievements — where long-term policy, engineering scale, and climate ambition have finally converged on the tracks.