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Frequent and long hours of power shortages faced by some railway stations has forced the railways to turn towards solar energy.The Pune division of the Central Railways has identified a total of 14 stations where solar power would be used for illuminating platforms and booking offices. The railway authorities said that all the stations are in the Pune-Kolhapur section.

A senior railway official said that these stations face 12 to 14 hours of power cuts. And as a result, the passengers and railway staff face a lot of inconvenience. "But with the use of solar energy, the platforms will get adequate lighting. Similarly, the work of booking tickets too will go on smoothly,'' the official said.

The railways will also use solar panels for providing LED-based signals and lighting at level crossings between Ghorpadi and Miraj stations.

It have already started using solar panels for LED signals at some of the level crossing gates and for lighting cabins and approach roads near gates in the Pune-Lonavla section.

"The use of solar energy at level crossing gates has been successful. Now, we use it for illuminating railway stations,'' the official said. The work is expected to start next month and would take at least three months to complete.