LAHORE: Pakistan Railways (PR) has decided to shift many as 155 railway stations to solar power as tenders in this regard are set to be floated soon after approval of the 2021-22 annual budget, approving the PC-1 worth Rs450 million for the project.

“Many of the 155 stations prioritised for the project, especially in Sindh province, have been facing severe loadshedding/load management, causing great disturbance to the PR staff in handling the operational affairs. Therefore, after having solar power systems, there would be no issue related to electricity supply at these stations,” Ms Nazia Jabeen, a spokesperson for the PR told Dawn.

According to the PR administration, 81 of the stations will be shifted to solar power system having eight hours backup, while 22 others will have the facility to operate the computer-based interlocking/signaling system. Another 22 will have two-hour backup, while 52 stations will have solar power system without any backup.

As per officials, the design capacity of the solar power systems will be 2,308kw, whereas the total production per annum with 20 per cent efficiency will be 3.2 million units. Since the life of the solar systems at all stations will be up to 25 years, the total power generation in this period will be 83 million units, they say.

The PR estimates a saving of Rs52 million per annum in the diesel cost for running generators, Rs70.62m because of tariff difference (Rs25-26 per unit cost charged by the distribution companies and Rs7-8 incurred on per unit generation / supply). The department further claims saving of Rs28.92 million annually because of installation of LED lights at the 155 stations.

“After 4-5 years, the project is expected to recover the cost incurred on it,” said a PR official.

TRAIN: Pakistan Railways (PR) has decided to resume operation of Faiz Ahmad Faiz passenger train running on Lahore-Narowal sections from Tuesday (today).

PR Lahore division’s operations chief Nasir Khalil will inaugurate resumption of the train, according to a press release.

POLIO: Lahore DC says the polio’s environmental samples have been reported negative which is a great success of the polio vaccination drives launched so far in Lahore, according to a press release.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2021