# Ministry of Railways (India)

The Ministry of Railways is a ministry in the Government of India, responsible for the country's rail transport. The Indian Railways is the rail network operated and administered by the Railway Board constituted by the ministry. The ministry along with the Railway Board is housed inside Rail Bhawan in New Delhi. It is headed by the Minister of Railways. With more than 1.2 million employees, it is one of the world's largest employers.

## History

The first railway track was operational in Madras in 1837 and the first passenger train ran in Bombay in 1853. But the earlier railways were operated by private companies with the earliest being the Madras Railway established in 1845 and the Great Indian Peninsular Railway incorporated in 1849. In October 1901, the Secretary of State for India in Council appointed Thomas Robertson as a special commissioner for Indian Railways to prepare a report on the administration of Indian Railways. In his report in 1903, Thomas recommended setting up of a three-member Railway Board headed by a chief commissioner. In March 1905, the railway branch of the Public Works Department was transferred to the newly established railway board under the department of commerce and industry by the Indian Railway Board Act. In 1908, the set up was re-organized on the recommendations of the Railway Finance Committee (1908) by constituting the railway board headed by a president as a separate department. Pursuant to the Acworth committee's recommendations in 1921, the railway board was expanded to four members with the addition of a financial commissioner in 1924 apart from the chief commissioner, one commissioners responsible for ways and works, projects and stores and the other responsible for general administration, staff and traffic.
In 1929, an additional member was added to the board and was assigned the responsibility for staff, so that the member in charge of traffic could focus solely on transport and commercial matters. In 1944, all the railway companies were taken over by the Government. The ministry of railways was part of the Ministry of Transport after the independence in 1947 and John Mathai served as its first minister from 1947 till 1948. On 22 September 1948, N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar was appointed as the minister of the newly renamed Ministry of Railways and Transport. On 17 April 1957, Jagjivan Ram became the first to head the standalone Minister of Railways.
In December 1950, the Central Advisory Committee for Railways approved the plan for re-organising Indian Railways into six regional zones and re-constituting the railway board to four members with the senior-most functional member appointed the chairman of the board with no absolute over riding power. In October 1954, the chairman of the board was made responsible for decisions on technical and policy matters, with the status of a principal secretary to the Government of India with an additional member added.
The board was expanded with an additional member responsible for electrical engineering in 1972 and a further member responsible for health in 1976.
The Ministry of Railways was merged with the Ministry of Shipping and Transport and the Department of Civil Aviation on 25 September 1985 to form the Ministry of Transport and Bansi Lal, who served as the Railways Minister prior to the merger became the first holder of the new office. However, on 22 October 1986, the Ministry of Railways was again separated into an independent ministry and has been the same since then.
In 2004, the board is expanded by the introduction of two new members responsible for signalling & telecom and for stores respectively. In December 2019, the Union Cabinet decided to reduce the size of the board from eight to five.

### Railway Budget

The first railway budget was presented in 1924. Since then, Railway budget was presented as a standalone budget every year before the union budget by the Railway Minister till 2016. The last Railway Budget was presented on 25 February 2016 and on 21 September 2016, Government of India approved merger of the rail and general budgets from 2017. The railway budget was estimated to be ₹264,600 crore (US$30 billion) for the financial year 2023–24.

## Organisation

Administrative officials :
| Title | Name |
| Minister of Railways | Ashwini Vaishnaw |
| Minister of State, Railways | V. Somanna, Ravneet Singh Bittu |
| Chairman and CEO of Railway Board | Satish Kumar |
The ministry has a union minister and one or more ministers of state. The railway board reports to the union ministry with the directorates of traction, engineering, traffic, rolling stock, signalling, materials, personnel, RPF, finance, health and safety reporting to the board. Indian Railways is a statutory body that reports to parliament and is under the ownership of ministry of railways. Indian Railways is further divided into 18 administrative zones (17 operational), headed by general managers who report to the board along with the heads of other institutions and undertakings owned by the Indian Railways. The railway board consists of a chairman, four members responsible for operations, business development, human resources, infrastructure and finance respectively. Also part of the board are four director generals responsible for human resources, health, RPF and safety respectively.

### Statutory Bodies

* Rail India Technical and Economic Service
* Rail Land Development Authority
* Ircon International

## Railway Budget

The first railway budget was presented in 1924. Since then, Railway budget was presented as a standalone budget every year before the union budget till 2016. The last Railway Budget was presented on 25 February 2016 and on 21 September 2016, Government of India approved merger of the rail and general budgets from 2017. The railway budget is estimated to be ₹264,600 crore (US$30 billion) for the financial year 2023–24.

## Railway ministers

The Minister of Railways (Hindi:Rail Mantrī) is the head of the ministry and a member of the union council of ministers of India. The position of the Minister of Railways is usually held by a minister of cabinet rank and is often assisted by one or two junior Ministers of State.
John Mathai was the first Minister of Railways. Lal Bahadur Shastri who served as the Minister of Railways and Transport from 1952 until 1956 became the second Prime Minister of India in 1964. Four prime ministers, namely Rajiv Gandhi, P. V. Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee (twice) and Manmohan Singh (twice) have briefly held the portfolio of the Minister of Railways during their premiership. Mohsina Kidwai was the first female to hold the charge of the ministry (as Minister of Surface Transport) while Mamata Banerjee is the first female to have served as the Minister of Railways. Madhavrao Scindia and Ram Naik are the only people to have served as Ministers of State for Railways with an Independent charge. Lalit Narayan Mishra is the only cabinet minister to die in office after being assassinated in a bomb blast in 1975, while Suresh Angadi is the only minister of state to die in office.
C k Jaffer sheriff was the Railway minister from 1991 to 1995 made numerous progress in laying More railway lines he is from Indian national Congress karnataka
The current Minister of Railways is Ashwini Vaishnaw of the Bharatiya Janata Party who has been in office since 7 July 2021 while V. Somanna and Ravneet Singh are the ministers of state for railways.

### Cabinet Ministers

* Key: $^†$ Assassinated or died in office
* Note: MoS, I/C – Minister of State (Independent Charge)
Indian Railway Ministers :
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister |
| Minister of Transport ||||||||||
| 1 | | | John Mathai (1886–1959) | 15 August 1947 | 22 September 1948 | 1 year, 38 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru I | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Minister of Transport and Railways ||||||||||
| 2 | | | N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar (1882–1953) MP for Madras (Interim) | 22 September 1948 | 13 May 1952 | 3 years, 234 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru I | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 3 | | | Lal Bahadur Shastri (1904–1966) Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh | 13 May 1952 | 7 December 1956 | 4 years, 208 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru II | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 4 | | | Jagjivan Ram (1908–1986) MP for Shahabad South | 7 December 1956 | 17 April 1957 | 131 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru II | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Minister of Railways ||||||||||
| (4) | | | Jagjivan Ram (1908–1986) MP for Sasaram | 17 April 1957 | 10 April 1962 | 4 years, 358 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru III | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 5 | | | Swaran Singh (1907–1994) MP for Jullundur | 10 April 1962 | 1 September 1963 | 1 year, 144 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru IV | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 6 | | | H. C. Dasappa (1894–1964) MP for Bangalore | 1 September 1963 | 27 May 1964 | 282 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru IV | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 6 | | | H. C. Dasappa (1894–1964) MP for Bangalore | 27 May 1964 | 9 June 1964 | 282 days | Indian National Congress | Nanda I | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) |
| 7 | | | S. K. Patil (1898–1981) MP for Mumbai South | 9 June 1964 | 11 January 1966 | 2 years, 277 days | Indian National Congress | Shastri | Lal Bahadur Shastri |
| 7 | | | S. K. Patil (1898–1981) MP for Mumbai South | 11 January 1966 | 24 January 1966 | 2 years, 277 days | Indian National Congress | Nanda II | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) |
| 7 | | | S. K. Patil (1898–1981) MP for Mumbai South | 24 January 1966 | 13 March 1967 | 2 years, 277 days | Indian National Congress | Indira I | Indira Gandhi |
| 8 | | | C. M. Poonacha (1910–1990) MP for Mangalore | 13 March 1967 | 14 February 1969 | 1 year, 338 days | Indian National Congress | Indira II | Indira Gandhi |
| 9 | | | Ram Subhag Singh (1917–1980) MP for Buxar | 14 February 1969 | 4 November 1969 | 263 days | Indian National Congress | Indira II | Indira Gandhi |
| 10 | | | Panampilly Govinda Menon (1906–1970) MP for Mukundapuram | 4 November 1969 | 18 February 1970 | 106 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira II | Indira Gandhi |
| 11 | | | Gulzarilal Nanda (1898–1998) MP for Kurukshetra | 18 February 1970 | 18 March 1971 | 1 year, 28 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira II | Indira Gandhi |
| 12 | | | Kengal Hanumanthaiah (1908–1980) MP for Bangalore City | 18 March 1971 | 22 July 1972 | 1 year, 126 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira III | Indira Gandhi |
| 13 | | | T. A. Pai (1922–1981) Rajya Sabha MP for Karnataka | 22 July 1972 | 5 February 1973 | 198 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira III | Indira Gandhi |
| 14 | | | Lalit Narayan Mishra (1923–1975) MP for Darbhanga | 5 February 1973 | 3 January 1975 | 1 year, 332 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira III | Indira Gandhi |
| 15 | | | Kamalapati Tripathi (1905–1990) Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh | 10 February 1975 | 23 March 1977 | 2 years, 41 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira III | Indira Gandhi |
| 16 | | | Madhu Dandavate (1924–2005) MP for Rajapur | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | 2 years, 124 days | Janata Party | Desai | Morarji Desai |
| (13) | | | T. A. Pai (1922–1981) MP for Udipi | 28 July 1979 | 14 January 1980 | 170 days | Janata Party (Secular) | Charan Singh | Charan Singh |
| (15) | | | Kamalapati Tripathi (1905–1990) Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh | 14 January 1980 | 12 November 1980 | 303 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Indira IV | Indira Gandhi |
| 17 | | | Kedar Pandey (1920–1982) MP for Bettiah | 12 November 1980 | 15 January 1982 | 1 year, 64 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Indira IV | Indira Gandhi |
| 18 | | | Prakash Chandra Sethi (1919–1996) MP for Indore | 15 January 1982 | 2 September 1982 | 230 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Indira IV | Indira Gandhi |
| 19 | | | A. B. A. Ghani Khan Choudhury (1927–2006) MP for Malda | 2 September 1982 | 31 October 1984 | 2 years, 59 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Indira IV | Indira Gandhi |
| 19 | | | A. B. A. Ghani Khan Choudhury (1927–2006) MP for Malda | 4 November 1984 | 31 December 1984 | 57 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv I | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 20 | | | Bansi Lal (1927–2006) MP for Bhiwani | 31 December 1984 | 25 September 1985 | 268 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Minister of Transport ||||||||||
| (20) | | | Bansi Lal (1927–2006) MP for Bhiwani | 25 September 1985 | 4 June 1986 | 252 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | Rajiv Gandhi |
| – | | | Rajiv Gandhi (1944–1991) MP for Amethi (Prime Minister) | 4 June 1986 | 24 June 1986 | 20 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 21 | | | Mohsina Kidwai (born 1932) MP for Meerut | 24 June 1986 | 22 October 1986 | 120 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Minister of Railways ||||||||||
| 22 | | | Madhavrao Scindia (1945–2001) MP for Gwalior (MoS, I/C) | 22 October 1986 | 2 December 1989 | 3 years, 41 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 23 | | | George Fernandes (1930–2019) MP for Muzaffarpur | 6 December 1989 | 10 November 1990 | 339 days | Janata Dal | V. P. Singh | V. P. Singh |
| 24 | | | Janeshwar Mishra (1933–2010) MP for Allahabad | 21 November 1990 | 21 June 1991 | 212 days | Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya) | Chandra Shekhar | Chandra Shekhar |
| 25 | | | C. K. Jaffer Sharief (1933–2018) MP for Bangalore North | 21 June 1991 | 17 August 1995 | 4 years, 57 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rao | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| – | | | P. V. Narasimha Rao (1921–2004) MP for Nandyal (Prime Minister) | 18 August 1995 | 16 May 1996 | 272 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rao | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| – | | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924–2018) MP for Lucknow (Prime Minister) | 16 May 1996 | 1 June 1996 | 16 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee I | Self |
| 26 | | | Ram Vilas Paswan (1946–2020) MP for Hajipur | 1 June 1996 | 21 April 1997 | 1 year, 291 days | Janata Dal | Deve Gowda | H. D. Deve Gowda |
| 26 | | | Ram Vilas Paswan (1946–2020) MP for Hajipur | 21 April 1997 | 19 March 1998 | 1 year, 291 days | Janata Dal | Gujral | Inder Kumar Gujral |
| 27 | | | Nitish Kumar (born 1951) MP for Barh | 19 March 1998 | 5 August 1999 | 1 year, 139 days | Samata Party | Vajpayee II | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 28 | | | Ram Naik (born 1934) MP for Mumbai North (MoS, I/C) | 6 August 1999 | 13 October 1999 | 161 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee II | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 29 | | | Mamata Banerjee (born 1955) MP for Calcutta South | 13 October 1999 | 16 March 2001 | 1 year, 154 days | Trinamool Congress | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| – | | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924–2018) MP for Lucknow (Prime Minister) | 16 March 2001 | 20 March 2001 | 16 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| (27) | | | Nitish Kumar (born 1951) MP for Barh | 20 March 2001 | 22 May 2004 | 3 years, 63 days | Janata Dal (United) | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 30 | | | Lalu Prasad Yadav (born 1948) MP for Chapra | 23 May 2004 | 22 May 2009 | 4 years, 364 days | Rashtriya Janata Dal | Manmohan I | Manmohan Singh |
| (29) | | | Mamata Banerjee (born 1955) MP for Kolkata Dakshin | 23 May 2009 | 19 May 2011 | 1 year, 361 days | Trinamool Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| – | | | Manmohan Singh (1932–2024) Rajya Sabha MP for Assam (Prime Minister) | 19 May 2011 | 12 July 2011 | 54 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 31 | | | Dinesh Trivedi (born 1950) MP for Barrackpore | 12 July 2011 | 19 March 2012 | 251 days | Trinamool Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 32 | | | Mukul Roy (born 1954) Rajya Sabha MP for West Bengal | 20 March 2012 | 22 September 2012 | 186 days | Trinamool Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 33 | | | C. P. Joshi (born 1950) MP for Bhilwara | 22 September 2012 | 28 October 2012 | 36 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 34 | | | Pawan Kumar Bansal (born 1948) MP for Chandigarh | 28 October 2012 | 11 May 2013 | 195 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| (33) | | | C. P. Joshi (born 1950) MP for Bhilwara | 11 May 2013 | 15 June 2013 | 35 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| – | | | Manmohan Singh (1932–2024) Rajya Sabha MP for Assam (Prime Minister) | 15 June 2013 | 17 June 2013 | 2 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 35 | | | Mallikarjun Kharge (born 1942) MP for Gulbarga | 17 June 2013 | 26 May 2014 | 343 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 36 | | | D. V. Sadananda Gowda (born 1953) MP for Bangalore North | 27 May 2014 | 9 November 2014 | 166 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | Narendra Modi |
| 37 | | | Suresh Prabhu (born 1953) Rajya Sabha MP for Haryana, till 2016 Rajya Sabha MP for Andhra Pradesh, from 2016 | 9 November 2014 | 3 September 2017 | 2 years, 359 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | Narendra Modi |
| 38 | | | Piyush Goyal (born 1964) Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra | 3 September 2017 | 30 May 2019 | 3 years, 307 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | Narendra Modi |
| 38 | | | Piyush Goyal (born 1964) Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra | 31 May 2019 | 7 July 2021 | 3 years, 307 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | Narendra Modi |
| 39 | | | Ashwini Vaishnaw (born 1970) Rajya Sabha MP for Odisha | 7 July 2021 | 9 June 2024 | 3 years, 254 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | Narendra Modi |
| 39 | | | Ashwini Vaishnaw (born 1970) Rajya Sabha MP for Odisha | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | 3 years, 254 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi III | Narendra Modi |

### Ministers of State

* Key: $^†$ Assassinated or died in office
Ministers of State :
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister |
| Minister of State for Transport and Railways ||||||||||
| 1 | | | K. Santhanam (1895–1980) MP for Madras (Constituent Assembly) | 1 October 1948 | 29 May 1952 | 3 years, 241 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru I | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Minister of State for Railways ||||||||||
| 2 | | | Ram Subhag Singh (1917–1980) MP for Bikramganj | 13 May 1964 | 27 May 1964 | 2 years, 304 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru IV | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 2 | | | Ram Subhag Singh (1917–1980) MP for Bikramganj | 27 May 1964 | 9 June 1964 | 2 years, 304 days | Indian National Congress | Nanda I | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) |
| 2 | | | Ram Subhag Singh (1917–1980) MP for Bikramganj | 9 June 1964 | 11 January 1966 | 2 years, 304 days | Indian National Congress | Shastri | Lal Bahadur Shastri |
| 2 | | | Ram Subhag Singh (1917–1980) MP for Bikramganj | 11 January 1966 | 24 January 1966 | 2 years, 304 days | Indian National Congress | Nanda II | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) |
| 2 | | | Ram Subhag Singh (1917–1980) MP for Bikramganj | 24 January 1966 | 13 March 1967 | 2 years, 304 days | Indian National Congress | Indira I | Indira Gandhi |
| 3 | | | Parimal Ghosh (1917–1985) MP for Ghatal | 13 March 1967 | 17 October 1969 | 2 years, 218 days | Indian National Congress | Indira II | Indira Gandhi |
| 4 | | | Mohammad Shafi Qureshi (1928–2016) MP for Anantnag | 10 October 1974 | 23 March 1977 | 2 years, 164 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira III | Indira Gandhi |
| 5 | | | Surendra Pal Singh (1917–2009) MP for Bulandshahr | 23 December 1976 | 24 March 1977 | 91 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira III | Indira Gandhi |
| 6 | | | Sheo Narain (1913–1987) MP for Basti | 14 August 1977 | 28 July 1979 | 1 year, 348 days | Janata Party | Desai | Morarji Desai |
| 7 | | | C. K. Jaffer Sharief (1933–2018) MP for Bangalore North | 14 January 1980 | 31 October 1984 | 4 years, 291 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Indira IV | Indira Gandhi |
| 8 | | | Madhavrao Scindia (1945–2001) MP for Gwalior | 31 December 1984 | 25 September 1985 | 268 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Minister of State for Transport – Department of Railways ||||||||||
| (8) | | | Madhavrao Scindia (1945–2001) MP for Gwalior | 25 September 1985 | 22 October 1986 | 1 year, 27 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Minister of State for Railways ||||||||||
| 9 | | | Bhakta Charan Das (born 1958) MP for Kalahandi | 21 November 1990 | 21 June 1991 | 212 days | Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya) | Chandra Shekhar | Chandra Shekhar |
| 10 | | | Mallikarjun Goud (1941–2002) MP for Mahabubnagar | 21 June 1991 | 18 January 1993 | 1 year, 211 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rao | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| 11 | | | Kahnu Charan Lenka (born 1939) Rajya Sabha MP for Odisha | 18 January 1993 | 2 April 1994 | 1 year, 74 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rao | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| (10) | | | Mallikarjun Goud (1941–2002) MP for Mahabubnagar | 21 August 1995 | 19 September 1995 | 29 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rao | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| 12 | | | Suresh Kalmadi (born 1944) Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra | 15 September 1995 | 16 May 1996 | 244 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rao | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| 13 | | | Satpal Maharaj (born 1951) MP for Garhwal | 6 July 1996 | 21 April 1997 | 338 days | All India Indira Congress (Tiwari) | Deve Gowda | H. D. Deve Gowda |
| 13 | | | Satpal Maharaj (born 1951) MP for Garhwal | 21 April 1997 | 9 June 1997 | 338 days | All India Indira Congress (Tiwari) | Gujral | Inder Kumar Gujral |
| 14 | | | Ram Naik (born 1934) MP for Mumbai North | 19 March 1998 | 6 August 1999 | 1 year, 140 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee II | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 15 | | | Digvijay Singh (1955–2010) MP for Banka | 13 October 1999 | 22 July 2001 | 1 year, 282 days | Samata Party | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 16 | | | Bangaru Laxman (1939–2014) Rajya Sabha MP for Gujarat | 22 November 1999 | 31 August 2000 | 283 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 17 | | | O. Rajagopal (born 1929) Rajya Sabha MP for Madhya Pradesh | 31 August 2000 | 1 July 2002 | 1 year, 304 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| (15) | | | Digvijay Singh (1955–2010) MP for Banka | 1 August 2001 | 1 July 2002 | 334 days | Samata Party | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 18 | | | A. K. Moorthy (born 1964) MP for Chengalpattu | 1 July 2002 | 15 January 2004 | 1 year, 198 days | Pattali Makkal Katchi | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 19 | | | Bandaru Dattatreya (born 1947) MP for Secunderabad | 1 July 2002 | 8 September 2003 | 1 year, 69 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 20 | | | Basangouda Patil Yatnal (born 1963) MP for Bijapur | 8 September 2003 | 22 May 2004 | 257 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 21 | | | Naranbhai Rathwa (born 1953) MP for Chhota Udaipur | 23 May 2004 | 22 May 2009 | 4 years, 364 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | Manmohan Singh |
| 22 | | | R. Velu (born 1940) MP for Arakkonam | 23 May 2004 | 29 March 2009 | 4 years, 310 days | Pattali Makkal Katchi | Manmohan I | Manmohan Singh |
| 23 | | | E. Ahamed (1938–2017) MP for Malappuram | 28 May 2009 | 19 January 2011 | 1 year, 236 days | Indian Union Muslim League | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 24 | | | K. H. Muniyappa (born 1948) MP for Kolar | 28 May 2009 | 28 October 2012 | 3 years, 153 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 25 | | | Bharatsinh Solanki (born 1953) MP for Anand | 19 January 2011 | 28 October 2012 | 1 year, 283 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 26 | | | Mukul Roy (born 1954) Rajya Sabha MP for West Bengal | 19 May 2011 | 12 July 2011 | 54 days | All India Trinamool Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 27 | | | Kotla Jayasurya Prakasha Reddy (born 1951) MP for Kurnool | 28 October 2012 | 26 May 2014 | 1 year, 210 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 28 | | | Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (born 1956) MP for Baharampur | 28 October 2012 | 26 May 2014 | 1 year, 210 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | Manmohan Singh |
| 29 | | | Manoj Sinha (born 1959) MP for Ghazipur | 27 May 2014 | 30 May 2019 | 5 years, 3 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | Narendra Modi |
| 30 | | | Rajen Gohain (born 1950) MP for Nowgong | 5 July 2016 | 30 May 2019 | 2 years, 329 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | Narendra Modi |
| 31 | | | Suresh Angadi (1955–2020) MP for Belgaum | 31 May 2019 | 23 September 2020 | 1 year, 115 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | Narendra Modi |
| 32 | | | Raosaheb Danve (born 1955) MP for Jalna | 7 July 2021 | 9 June 2024 | 2 years, 338 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | Narendra Modi |
| 33 | | | Darshana Jardosh (born 1961) MP for Surat | 7 July 2021 | 9 June 2024 | 2 years, 338 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | Narendra Modi |
| 34 | | | V. Somanna (born 1950) MP for Tumkur | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | 281 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi III | Narendra Modi |
| 35 | | | Ravneet Singh Bittu (born 1975) Rajya Sabha MP for Rajasthan | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | 281 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi III | Narendra Modi |

### Deputy Ministers

| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister |
| Deputy Minister for Transport and Railways ||||||||||
| 1 | | | B. V. Keskar (1903–1984) MP for Madras (Constituent Assembly) | 10 March 1952 | 13 May 1952 | 64 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru I | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 2 | | | O. V. Alagesan (1911–1992) MP for Chengalpattu | 12 August 1952 | 16 April 1957 | 4 years, 247 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru II | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 3 | | | Shah Nawaz Khan (1914–1993) MP for Meerut | 20 September 1956 | 17 April 1957 | 209 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru II | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Deputy Minister for Railways ||||||||||
| (3) | | | Shah Nawaz Khan (1914–1993) MP for Meerut | 17 April 1957 | 10 April 1962 | 4 years, 358 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru III | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 4 | | | S. V. Ramaswamy MP for Salem | 2 April 1958 | 10 April 1962 | 4 years, 8 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru III | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| (3) | | | Shah Nawaz Khan (1914–1993) MP for Meerut | 16 April 1962 | 27 May 1964 | 2 years, 41 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru III | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| (4) | | | S. V. Ramaswamy MP for Salem | 16 April 1962 | 27 May 1964 | 2 years, 41 days | Indian National Congress | Nehru III | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| (3) | | | Shah Nawaz Khan (1914–1993) MP for Meerut | 27 May 1964 | 9 June 1964 | 13 days | Indian National Congress | Nanda I | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) |
| (4) | | | S. V. Ramaswamy MP for Salem | 27 May 1964 | 9 June 1964 | 13 days | Indian National Congress | Nanda I | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) |
| 5 | | | Sham Nath MP for Chandni Chowk | 15 June 1964 | 11 January 1966 | 2 years, 271 days | Indian National Congress | Shastri | Lal Bahadur Shastri |
| 5 | | | Sham Nath MP for Chandni Chowk | 11 January 1966 | 24 January 1966 | 2 years, 271 days | Indian National Congress | Nanda II | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) |
| 5 | | | Sham Nath MP for Chandni Chowk | 24 January 1966 | 13 March 1967 | 2 years, 271 days | Indian National Congress | Indira I | Indira Gandhi |
| 6 | | | S. C. Jamir (born 1931) MP for Nagaland | 13 March 1967 | 14 November 1967 | 246 days | Indian National Congress | Indira II | Indira Gandhi |
| 7 | | | Rohanlal Chaturvedi (1919–?) MP for Etah | 14 November 1967 | 18 March 1971 | 3 years, 124 days | Indian National Congress | Indira II | Indira Gandhi |
| 8 | | | Mohammad Yunus Saleem (1912–2004) MP for Nalgonda | 27 June 1970 | 18 March 1971 | 264 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira II | Indira Gandhi |
| 9 | | | Mohammad Shafi Qureshi (1928–2016) Anantnag | 2 May 1971 | 10 October 1974 | 3 years, 161 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira III | Indira Gandhi |
| 10 | | | Buta Singh (1934–2021) MP for Ropar | 10 October 1974 | 23 December 1976 | 2 years, 74 days | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira III | Indira Gandhi |
| Deputy Minister for Railways ||||||||||
| 11 | | | Mahaveer Prasad (1939–2010) MP for Bansgaon | 14 February 1988 | 4 July 1989 | 1 year, 140 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 12 | | | Ajay Singh (1950–2020) MP for Agra | 23 April 1990 | 10 November 1990 | 201 days | Janata Dal | Vishwanath | V. P. Singh |
| Position not in use since 10 November 1990 ||||||||||

## Criticism and controversies

On 14 February 2008, Westinghouse Air Brake, admitted to a US federal court of violating Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) regulations by making improper payments from its subsidiary Pioneer Friction based in Kolkata, to government officials of the Indian railway board to obtain and retain business with the Railway Board and curb taxes.
On 3 May 2013, the CBI arrested then minister of railways Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew, Vijay Singla for accepting an alleged bribe of ₹9 million (US$100,000) from a middleman for the appointment of a particular person to the railway board. The railway board clarified that no rules had been broken during the appointment and suspended Mahesh, the person concerned.