Solar energy set to light up Varanasi Cantt railway station

Varanasi, Aug 26 (IANS) Varanasi Cantt railway station is all set to go green and the whole complex will be seen lighting up with solar energy, as early as by the year-end.

The railway authorities have taken up the task to install 2,800 solar panels of 700-kilowatt capacity at the Cantt railway station. The facility, when operational, will not only save electricity but will also set a new precedent in generating clean and green energy, thereby protecting the environment.

The Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) recently started installing detachable solar panels between the railway tracks, apparently the country's first such exercise.

Since Varanasi is the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the novel experiment has caught the imagination of people as well as railway officials.

Many railway officials welcomed the move, stating that this would cut electricity costs and also significantly aid in environmental conservation.

Varanasi Cantt railway station director Arpit Gupta told IANS that the project was first initiated in 2016, but then was abruptly halted due to re-modelling work at the station. Fresh preparations have begun to equip the railway station with solar energy.

"In 2016-17, around 1 MW of solar panels were installed at Varanasi station, but during remodelling in 2023, they were removed as new platforms were being built,” he said.

He further stated, “By September 2025, the installation will be completed, ensuring both environmental protection and a stable power supply. With this, there will be a saving of around 700 kW per day, entirely from solar energy."

Notably, solar energy generation comprises one of the major energy policy decisions of the Modi government, under which not just households, but commercial installations and office complexes are being encouraged to reduce dependence on conventional forms of energy and adopt solar power as a viable alternative.

According to official estimates, the Indian Railways has installed 209 MW solar plants at 2,249 stations and service buildings, till February 2025.

Currently, Rajasthan is leading in solar power expansion with the highest 275 installation units among all States and UTs.

--IANS

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