AHMEDABAD (Metro Rail News): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday flagged off India’s first LNG-powered train from Sabarmati Railway Station in Ahmedabad and inaugurated railway development works worth ₹1,472 crore.
The projects include a ₹700-crore WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed and the commissioning of Kavach on the Sabarmati-Kalol-Sabarmati section. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other officials attended the event.
Indian Railways first LNG train flagged off
The event also marked the flag-off of the country’s first LNG-powered train from Sabarmati. The move is part of efforts to reduce dependence on diesel in railway operations and explore alternative fuels for rail transport.
Amit Shah said the LNG-powered train could contribute to reducing the environmental impact of railway operations in the coming years.
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Diesel use in railways falls sharply
Shah cited a significant reduction in railway diesel consumption over the past decade. According to the figures presented at the event, Indian Railways consumed around 293 crore litres of diesel in 2015-16. This fell to 108 crore litres in 2024-25. He linked the reduction to the expansion of electric traction across the railway network.
Railway electrification has also accelerated sharply. Shah said only 75 km of railway routes were electrified during 2010-11, while 7,188 km were electrified in 2023-24. He said 99.6% of the railway network is now electrified, leaving about 0.4% still to be covered.
₹700 crore WAG-12 maintenance shed inaugurated
The new WAG-12 maintenance shed at Sabarmati has been built at a cost of ₹700 crore. It will support maintenance of high-capacity electric freight locomotives.
Shah also highlighted the capabilities of the WAG-12 locomotive during the programme. The 12,000-horsepower twin-section locomotive can haul a freight load comparable to what around 600 trucks can carry, according to the minister.
The locomotive can perform the work that earlier required two locomotives, improving hauling capacity on heavy freight routes.
Kavach commissioned on Sabarmati-Kalol railway section
The Kavach automatic train protection system has been commissioned on the Sabarmati-Kalol-Sabarmati rail section at a cost of ₹48 crore. Work has also started on extending Kavach to other important sections in Gujarat, including:
- Ahmedabad-Palanpur
- Ahmedabad-Samakhiali
Work has also begun on doubling the Sabarmati-Sarkhej railway line. These projects are aimed at improving rail capacity while strengthening safety and operational reliability on the routes.
Gujarat gets multiple rail capacity and safety works
The projects inaugurated or launched in Ahmedabad form part of a wider push to increase freight capacity and improve railway safety in Gujarat.
The WAG-12 shed will support maintenance of high-power freight locomotives, while Kavach deployment and the Sabarmati-Sarkhej doubling project address safety and route capacity.
The LNG-powered train adds another element to the programme by testing an alternative fuel option for railway operations.
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