North Central Railway to convert Diesel Loco Shed at Jhansi into Electric Loco Shed

In tune with Indian Railways’ mission to become the largest green Railways in the world, North Central Railway (NCR) is not o­nly moving towards electrification of its entire section, but has also envisaged the conversion of its diesel loco shed at Jhansi into electric loco shed.

  • With increasing electrification, production of electric locomotives has been stepped up and an equivalent number of diesel locomotives are being withdrawn from service.
  • This naturally give rise to the need for conversion of diesel Loco Sheds into electric o­ne.

About Diesel loco shed Jhansi:

  • Diesel loco shed Jhansi is the o­nly major Diesel Loco Shed o­n NCR catering to traffic needs of Mail/Express, Passenger, Goods and Shunting services.
  • The shed has completed 46 glorious years in the service of the nation.
  • At present it maintains 74 Alco Loco, 13 Shunting Loco and 32 HHP Loco apart from 28 WAG-7 Electric Locomotives.
  • It also maintains a 140T BD Crane and Accident Relief Train and Accident Relief Medical Van stationed at Jhansi.
  • It imparts a classroom training for running staff too with four classrooms for 100 trainees and a 80 bedded hostel.

Conversion of loco shed from diesel to electric:

  • Conversion of the loco shed from diesel to electric is a gradual phased exercise, which has already been started 11 months back in July last year, to be precise.
  • The conversion has been planned in three phases with provision of additional facilities like OHE testing facility, laying of OHE from Testing Shed to Trip shed, lifting of tracks etc.
  • It is envisaged that by March 2024 electric loco holding of the shed will increase to 100 locos as against the holding of 25 electric locos in March 2021.
  • While at present holding of diesel locomotives is 64 and 37 respectively for goods and coaching services, it will reduce to 17 for goods locomotives while there will be no diesel locomotive for coaching services by March 2024.
  • Diesel locomotives will remain for shunting purposes and for emergencies o­nly.

Additional Details:

  • While presenting the PPT in a videoconference, Chief Motive Power Engineer NCR Shri Anil Dwivedi explained that the most remarkable feature of this conversion exercise is that there is no major change in the overall layout of the Loco Shed and optimum utilization of manpower is being carried out.
  • Most of the working sections in the shed will remain common for both Electric as well as Diesel services thereby bringing economies in the entire planning.
  • Shri Dwivedi further informed that current requirement of manpower has already been trained in maintenance of Electric Locomotives and thus no extra manpower will be required in transition phase for next 3 years as capacity building of existing manpower is being carried out through online training programmes for officers, supervisors, technicians and Group D staff.
  • General Manager NCR Shri V.K. Tripathi told that integrated planning is being carried out all over Indian Railways to make Railways more efficient, economic and environment friendly mode of transport. As the number of AC locomotives will increase, we are committed to provide quick and best maintenance to these locomotives.

Railway Electrification:

Meanwhile, in tune with the Indian Railways vision of becoming net zero carbon emitter by 2030, a series of steps have been taken to promote environment friendly aspects in train operations.

  • Major paradigm shift in this regards is target 100% electrification of all Indian Railways network.
  • North Central Railway is aggressively working in this direction to convert its entire non electrified route into electrified territories.
  • Recently, Bhandai (near Agra)-Udimore section, Lalitpur-Udaipura section, Unchdih-Meja thermal power plant section have been electrified.
  • GM NCR Shri V.K. Tripathi holds a series of meetings recently to review the progress of electrification works in NCR.
  • In o­ne such meeting with the officers of CORE, GM asked for specific targets to be given.

Electrification Targets:

  • It was informed by the officials that electrification works of Mahoba-Khajuraho and Birlanagar-Udimore sections are targeted for completion in July 2021 and August 2021 respectively.
  • While Khajurao-Udaipura section is targeted for completion by February 2022, efforts are o­n for completion of electrification work in Shikohabad-Farrukhabad section 2021 and Etawah-Mainpuri section by December this year.
  • General Manager stressed that commitments over targets should be honored and expressed candidly his non acceptance over time overruns.
  • In another meeting with senior officers of the construction organization, GM reviewed the progress been done o­n the Etah-Barhan section and the status of electrification o­n upcoming third line between Jhansi and Bina.
  • It was told to the General Manager that the Etah-Barhan section is targeted to be electrified by February 2022 with paperwork and necessary approvals and site visits going o­n with full swing.
  • Apart from this, electrification of the Chhata-Bhuteshwar section (between Agra-Mathura) of the newly constructed fourth line in Agra Division is targeted for completion by November 2021.

Source: North Central Railway-Press Release | Image Credit (representational): MoR