The next time you're waiting on Platform 6 at Vasai or squeezing into a crowded local at Borivli or Dadar, look up. The electricity powering the station may have travelled 150 million kilometres before reaching you. Western Railway’s Mumbai Central division has quietly turned 25 stations and railway buildings into solar power hubs, generating more than 1.12 crore units of electricity every year and saving an estimated R13.4 crore annually. Mumbai's suburban railway now runs on sweat, steel and, increasingly, sunshine.

How it works

Solar panels installed on station roofs and platform sheds convert sunlight into electricity. The power generated is consumed by railway installations, reducing dependence on conventional grid electricity and lowering electricity bills.