Indian Railways' carbon emission will be zero by 2030: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi, Aug 27: Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said that Indian Railways is aiming to reduce carbon emission to zero by end of 2030.

"By 2030 we will be a net-zero railway, our carbon emission will be zero. Indian Railways transports nearly 8 billion passengers and 1.2 billion tonnes of freight every year. Ours will be the world's first railways of this scale to go green," Piyush Goyal tweeted.

Goyal said that by December 2023, India will have 100% electrified rail network, and by 2030, Indian Railways' carbon emission will be zero.

We will be the world's first railway of this scale to be 100% electric, the minister added.

According to NITI Aayog data, Carbon emission from Railways was 6.84 million tonnes in 2014.

The Union Minister added that land along the tracks will be used by Indian Railways to general 20 gigawatt of clean energy.

Experts say that 100 per cent electrification of rail network would also help in increasing the average speed of trains.

According to government data, the rail network in India is the fourth largest in the world only after the US, Russia and China. Indian rail network covers 67,368 km of tracks and has 7,300 stations.

The Union Ministry of Railways has said that the mega project aims to bring new technologies, boost revenues, and also increase job opportunities