Monday, May 20, 2013: The famed Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) in Mumbai is soon going to get self sufficient in terms of its power needs. The Central Railway under a pilot project aims to reduce the carbon footprint in Solapur and Tikekarwadi district in Mumbai. It is greatly looking at solar energy to fulfill the needs of the project.
In a similar concept last year in December, the Khandala Station was equipped with gears that would harness wind and solar energy. After Khandala, Tikekarwadi is the only station to make use of solar power for all its needs. The proposed installation at CST terminus needs a 10kW solar panel as revealed by Vidyadhar Malegaonkar, chief of public relations at CST.
The drive to install solar power is driven by the increasing costs of power demands in the CST and the need to switch to a renewable form of energy substitute. Spokesperson at CST said that the average cost for every unit of power consumed has increased by Rs 16 since the last financial year. The Central Railway previously got a rebate of Rs 57.7 million due to the green initiatives that it has taken by non-traction energy.
Malegaonkar said that these measures will further equip the institution reduce its energy cost and seek a renewable substitute. In addition to the stations being planned, there are 50 more level crossings where the solar panels will be at place. Plans of such auxiliary electric devices being switched on while the train is halted at stations is deemed necessary considering the power crisis.
