Bio diesel

Use of Unconventional fuel on Indian Railways

Trains with Bio-Diesel blend of upto 20% have been done on a few locomotives in Northern, South Eastern & Southern Railways. No large scale induction of Bio-Diesel as an alternate fuel has been done due to non-availability of Bio-Diesel in large quantities at economical prices. However, very small scale operations in Southern Railway, primarily on shunting locomotives, has been continuing for past many years. One Diesel Power Car (DPC No. 19002 of Shakurbasti Diesel shed) has been converted to CNG-diesel dual-fuel mode and is running successfully in services at present. Railways have decided to set up two in-house Bio-Diesel plants of 30 tonnes per day each. The plants will be located at Tondiarpet (Chennai) in Tamil Nadu and Raipur in Chhattisgarh. In addition efforts are also being made to procure Bio-Diesel from trade. Works are in progress in both locations. Railway Board has sanctioned a work of conversion of 20 diesel Locomotives to dual fuel mode with LNG as substitute fuel. Sanction for conversion of 100 Diesel Power Cars (DPC) exists and contract for 50 numbers have been awarded and process of conversion has been initiated. Presently two DPCs are under conversion which will be completed in four months from now. This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today. AKS/HK/BS/DK (Release ID :98874)