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NT Bureau
Chennai, Sept 27:
 

Union Minister of State for Railways R Velu inspecting the pilot bio-diesel plant at the Perambur Loco Works in Chennai today.

        Union Minister of State for railways R Velu announced today that modernisation of Perambur Loco Works would be taken up at a cost of Rs 72 crore as a part of Platinum jubilee fete.

        Inspecting the pilot bio-diesel plant at the Loco Works, Velu said modernisation of old machineries and training centres would be taken up this year and added that railways will take a policy decision on the usage and production of bio-diesel for its own purpose this year.

        He said the pilot plant has developed a processing mechanism for converting pungam, jatropha, neem, soyabean oils besides used cooking oil palm oil and fish oil into bio-diesel. The oil produced is being used in locomotives, diesel mutliple units, industrial and road vehicles.

        Referring to railways jetropha cultivation mission, he said that jetropha was cultivated in the railway lands either through the department or public-private partneship on equal sharing basis. But the mission failed to get the patronage of the public. Hence, the railways is going to take a policy decision this year based on the feasibility report done by it.

        He said that railways is spending on an average Rs 4500 crore for diesel every year. About one fifth of the cost to the tune of Rs 1000 crore would be saved if 20 per cent of bio-diesel is used.

        At present bio-diesel is produced at a cost of Rs 60 per litre under the pilot plant and the cost could be brought down during the mass production.