CAG slams Railways for wasting Rs 660 cr diesel

CAG Report

♦ Despite monitoring systems, diesel locomotives continued to idle for lakhs of hours

♦ CAG report flags lack of energy conservation policy, audits, in Railways

♦ Recommends strict implementation of guidelines to reduce fuel costs

New Delhi: The Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) has slammed Indian Railways for not following the guidelines governing idle running of diesel locomotives. Idle running amounted to 3,541,594 hours from 2017-18 to 2021-22 in only ten out of a total of 68 divisions. The CAG’s report, ‘Energy Management in Train Operations and Renewable Energy Initiatives in Indian Railways,’ also found fault with the transporter for not issuing a single policy or master circular for implementation of energy conservation measures, not conducting energy audits in some zones, inadequate metering arrangements, and not installing solar power plants and wind power plants as planned originally. It, however, also praised Railways for making ‘large savings in energy costs through open access’. An idling diesel locomotive consumes 25 litres of fuel in one hour, according to a website of Indian Railways. In the period mentioned by the CAG, the diesel price rose from around Rs 55 per litre to Rs 90 per litre. If we take the average price at Rs 75 per litre, we find a loss in the region of Rs 660 crore, and that is only for 10 divisions.

The Ministry of Railways (MoR) in May 2008 reiterated its earlier policy of shutting down locomotives when the detention at any location was likely to be more than 30 minutes, the CAG said in its latest report. The operating department (control room) should inform the driver if expected detention was more than 30 minutes at any place and instruct the driver to switch off the locomotive.

The CAG mentioned the fact that the MoR, in a press release in April 2018, listed the steps taken to bring energy/fuel efficiency. In this list, it was stated that to avoid idle running of the engine of diesel locomotive, a joint procedure order (JPO) was been jointly issued at the Railway Board level.

Monitoring of idling of diesel locomotives has been started through Remote Monitoring and Management of Locomotive and Trains (REMMLOT) fitted in the diesel locomotive.

And yet, the CAG said, “diesel locomotives were detained in switched-on position beyond 30 minutes on 545,352 occasions for 3,541,594 hours.” Responses furnished by the MoR (January 2024) did not include a reply on this issue, the CAG ruefully noted.