Indian Railways installs removable solar panels between railway tracks, pilot project at Varanasi

In a first-of-its-kind green innovation, Indian Railways has installed removable solar panels between railway tracks at Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), Varanasi, marking a breakthrough in its push towards a net-zero carbon footprint.

Commissioned on Line No. 19 of the BLW workshop, the pilot project involves 70 metres of track fitted with 28 solar panels capable of generating 15 kWp of power. This is the first such installation in the country, designed indigenously to fit between sleepers without disrupting train movement, informed Indian Railways in a post on X.

Innovation Without Land Acquisition

With a vast 1.2 lakh km track network, Railways sees the initiative as a scalable model since it does not require additional land acquisition. The system utilises the unused space between tracks, with the potential to generate 3.2 to 3.5 lakh units of electricity per kilometre annually if deployed across yard lines nationwide.

The panels, each measuring 2278 × 1133 × 30 mm and weighing 31.83 kg, boast 144 half-cut monocrystalline PERC bifacial cells with module efficiency above 20%.

To address technical challenges, engineers used rubber mounting pads to reduce vibration from trains and epoxy adhesives for strong fixation. The design allows easy cleaning, while panels can be detached with just four Allen bolts for track maintenance.

Energy generation estimates are 240 KWp per km with 960 units per km per day, according to Indian Railways.

Step Towards Net Zero

The project complements existing rooftop solar plants at BLW and aligns with Indian Railways’ broader renewable energy strategy. Officials said wider adoption of the model could significantly cut carbon emissions and contribute to the net-zero target by 2030.

By turning Varanasi into the country’s first test bed for track-based solar systems, Indian Railways has opened a new frontier in sustainable transport infrastructure.