Mysore/Mysuru: The Mysuru City Railway Station has turned into a green energy zone by tapping solar energy. Solar panels have been installed at three places and the power generated there is not only helping the Station cut on electricity bills but also become eco-friendly.

As part of the initiative taken by the South Western Railways (SWR), solar panels have been installed at stations, service buildings, LC gates etc. across the Zone. A press release from the SWR stated that the SWR has installed a total of 4656.60 KWp solar panels at service buildings and major stations so far.

The solar electricity generation during last financial year in SWR was 46.11 lakh units resulting in saving in electricity bills to the tune of Rs. 1.96 crore.

The SWR has provided solar panels at 120 Station rooftops (covering all major Stations – Mysuru Railway Station, Shri Siddharoodha Swamiji (SSS) Station in  Hubballi, Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Station in Bengaluru, Yesvantpur etc.) and 7 service buildings (Zonal Headquarters Rail Soudha, Divisional Railway Manager’s Office-Hubballi, Divisional Railway Manager’s Office-Bengaluru, Divisional Railway Manager’s Office – Mysuru, Railway Hospital – Hubballi, Parcel Office Bengaluru, Railway Hospital – Bengaluru).

From the 100 KWp solar installation at Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager’s Office, 1.28 lakh units of energy have been generated during 2021-22 which has resulted in a savings of Rs. 5.11 lakh. From the 500 KWp solar panels at Mysore Central Workshop in Ashokapuram, 5.36 lakh units of solar energy was generated contributing Rs. 18.40 lakh as savings.

The 110 KWp solar panel installed at the Mysuru Railway Station has generated 1.42 lakh units, the SSS Hubballi Station has generated 3.38 lakh units and the 80 KWp solar panels at Yesvantpur Railway Station has generated 0.95 lakh units and the cumulative savings in power charges by the three stations was Rs. 21.42 lakh.

Apart from installation of solar panels at Stations and service buildings, even LC gates are operated using solar power across the zone.

SWR General Manager Sanjeev Kishore said that the Railway is tapping this clean energy and the same will accelerate the Railways’ mission of becoming a ‘Net Zero Carbon Emission Railway’ by 2030.

Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Rahul Agarwal told SOM this morning that the initiative of harnessing solar power was taken in the entire SWR and it has achieved significant savings. As per the plans of SWR, solar panels will be installed in 26 Stations across the SWR including Mysuru during the current financial year, he said.

“Installation of solar panels is a continuous process as the focus is on green energy. There are various factors that need to be analysed before installing them and the expansion will be done in phases,” the DRM added.