STATE TIMES NEWS
KATRA: In keeping with its objective to use eco-friendly sources of energy and strengthen mechanisms to cater to energy demands, Northern Railway on Tuesday launched a project to provide a solar power plant at Shri Mata Vaishno Katra Railway Station in Jammu.
Work on setting up the Rs 8.52 crore plant commenced in the presence of Chairman Railway Board Arunendra Kumar, according to a Northern Railway official.
Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments is executing the project for installation of 1 MWp roof top grid connected solar power plant.
While inaugurating Udhampur-Katra new railway line of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project in July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his desire for providing a solar power plant at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station as a green energy initiative under National Solar Mission.
The solar power plant will generate 14.6 lakh units per annum. The accrued benefit will be reduction of 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide per annum and a saving of Rs 1 crore per annum on energy bills to the Railway.
The plant will be commissioned in three phases with installation of 300 KWp at platform no 2/3 by December in the first phase, followed by installation of 500 KWp at platform no 1 by January, 2015 in second phase and subsequently installation of 200 KWp in final phase on roof top of the station building a month later.
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project is a National Project. (PTI)