All trains coming to Delhi will be on electric traction from December 2019, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said Thursday

The move is expected to lower fuel bills, improve safety and increase speed of the trains, officials said.

The cabinet in September 2018 had approved a proposal for the complete electrification of the Indian Railways in the next four years, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuel and saving revenue for the national carrier.

The move will cost the government Rs. 12,134 crore. “By December 2019, all trains coming to Delhi will be on electrical traction,” Mr Goyal told reporters.

Around 650 trains start, end, or pass through Delhi daily, which handles around 12 lakh passengers everyday.

Sources indicated that a proposal to electrify the heritage Kalka-Shimla route was also under consideration, but as it is a UNESCO site approval from the UN agency is required before a go-ahead can be given.

The minister is likely to write to UNESCO soon, sources indicated.