Lok Sabha Question No. 2937 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Semi High Speed Train Corridors
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Smt. Bharti Pardhi, Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar, Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil, Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2937 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025

## SEMI HIGH SPEED TRAIN CORRIDORS

2937. SHRI VISHALDADA PRAKASHBAPU PATIL:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE:

SHRI RAVINDRA DATTARAM WAIKAR:

SHRI NARESH GANPAT MHASKE:

SMT. BHARTI PARDHI:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  launched  any  new  semi-high-speed  train services or corridors during the year 2025 and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the routes and cities covered under this new service and the projected travel time reduction;
- (c) the details of the investment made for upgrading railway infrastructure to support these trains;
- (d) whether there have been any challenges in implementing these upgrades and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  manner  in  which  they  have  been addressed; and
- (e)  the  details  of  the  expected  impact  of  these  initiatives  on  passenger convenience and freight efficiency?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to  (e)  Indian  Railways  have  introduced  Vande  Bharat  services  which  are semi-high speed trains and are aimed to provide better travel experience and improved safety to the passengers. These services are equipped with enhanced safety features and modern passenger amenities like-

- KAVACH system
- Faster acceleration
- Fully Sealed Gangway
- Automatic Plug Doors
- Better Ride Comfort
- Mini Pantry with provision of Hot Case
- Bottle Cooler
- Deep freezer & Hot water Boiler
- Reclining Ergonomic Seats
- Comfortable Seating with revolving seats in executive class
- Mobile charging sockets for every seat
- Special lavatory for Divyangjan passengers in Driving Trailer Car(DTC),
- ●
- CCTVs, etc.

Presently,  164  Vande  Bharat  train  services  are  operational  on  the  various sectors of the Broad Gauge (B.G.) electrified network of Indian Railways (IR). Of these,  the  following  62Vande  Bharat  train  services,  have  been  introduced during the 2024-25 and 2025-2026:

1.       26651/26652 KSR Bengaluru- Ernakulam Jn. Express
2.       26506 /26505 Banaras - Khajuraho Express
3.       26461/26462 Delhi - Firozpur Cantt. Jn. Express
4.       26503/26504 Saharanpur - Gomtinagar Express
5.       26471/26472 Bikaner - Delhi Cantt. Express
6.       26481/26482 Jodhpur - Delhi Cantt. Express
7.       26301/26302 Jogbani- Danapur Express
8.       26101/26102 Pune Jn. -Ajni(Nagpur) Express

9.     26751/26752 Belagavi - KSR BengaluruExpress
10.   26405/26406 Amritsar Jn. - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express
11.   26501/26502 Gorakhpur - Patliputra Express
12.   26401/26402 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - Srinagar Express
13.   26403/26404 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - Srinagar Express
14.   26901/26902 Sabarmati - Veraval Express
15.   20175/20176 Banaras - Agra Cantt. Express
16.   21893/21894 Tatanagar- Patna Express
17.   21895/21896 Tatanagar- Patna Express
18.   20829/20830 Durg - Visakhapatnam Express
19.   20101/20102 Nagpur - Secunderabad Express
20.   20673/20674 Kolhapur SCSM Terminus - Pune Jn. Express
21.   20893/20894 Tatanagar- Patna Express
22.   22303/22304 Howrah - Gaya Express
23.   20891/20892 Tatanagar- Brahmapur Express
24.   20871/20872 Howrah - Rourkela Express
25.   20669/20670 Hubballi - Pune Jn. Express
26.   22309/22310 Howrah - Jamalpur Express
27.   22499/22500 Varanasi - Deoghar Express
28.   20671/20672 Madurai Jn. - Bangalore Cantt. Express
29.   20981/20982 Udaipur City - Agra Cantt. Express
30.   20627/20628 Chennai Egmore - Nagercoil Jn. Express
31.   22489/22490 Varanasi- Meerut City Jn. Express

## Railway Projects:

To improve the capacity, expansion of rail network has been taken up in a big way. The details of commissioning/laying of new track across Indian Railways is given below: -

| Period   | New track    | Average commissioning of new tracks   |
|----------|--------------|---------------------------------------|
|          | Commissioned |                                       |
| 2009-14  | 7,599 Km     | 4.2 Km/day                            |
| 2014-25  | 34,428 Km    | 8.57 Km/day (more than 2 times)       |

Further,  as  on  01.04.2025,  across  Indian  Railways,  431  Railway  infrastructure projects (154 New Line, 33 Gauge Conversion and 244 Doubling) of total length 35,966 Km, costing approx. ₹. 6.75 lakh crore are sanctioned. The summary is as under: -

| Category   | No of Projects   | Total Length NL/GC/DL (km)   | Length Commissioned till Mar 25 (Km)   | Total Exp upto Mar'25 (₹. in Cr)   |
|------------|------------------|------------------------------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| New Lines  | 154              | 16,142                       | 3,036                                  | 1,45,318                           |
| Gauge      | 33               | 4,180                        | 2,997                                  | 22,753                             |
| Conversion |                  |                              |                                        |                                    |
| Doubling   | 244              | 15,644                       | 6,736                                  | 1,22,858                           |
| Total      | 431              | 35,966                       | 12,769                                 | 2,90,929                           |

Also,  during  last  three  years  i.e.  2022-23,  2023-24,  2024-25  and  the  current financial year 2025-26, 952 no. Surveys (284 New line, 13 Gauge Conversion and 655  Doubling)  of  total  length  64,891  Km  have  been  sanctioned  across  Indian Railways.

## Signalling system:

Upgradation and improvement of railway infrastructure on Indian Railways have been carried out in a big way during last 11 years. The following measures are being  taken  by  Indian  Railways  to  modernise  and  upgrade  tracks,  signalling system etc:

- i. Modern track structure consisting of 60kg, 90 Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) rails,  Wider  and  heavier  Pre-stressed  Concrete  Sleepers  (PSC)  with  elastic fastening, fan-shaped layout turnout on PSC sleepers and Steel Channel/H-beam Sleepers  on  girder  bridges  are  being  used  while  carrying  out  primary  track renewals.

ii.  The  Thick  Web  Switches  and  Weldable  CMS  Crossings  are  being  used  in turnout renewal works.

iii. Supply of 130m/260m long rail panels have been increased to avoid welding of joints, thereby improving safety.

iv.  Thick  Web  Switch  Expansion  Joints  are  being  used  in  place  of  earlier Conventional/Improved SEJs.

v. Adoption of better welding technology for rails i.e. Flash Butt Welding.

vi.  Adoption  of  mechanized  system  for  track  maintenance  using  high  output plain  tampers  and  points  &  crossing  tampers  for  improved  maintainability  & reliability of track.

vii.  Deployment  of  state-of-the-art  modern  machines  including  Rail  Grinding Machines to further improve asset reliability.

viii. Mechanisation of track laying activities through use of track machines like PQRS, TRT, T-28 etc.

ix. Use of advanced Phased Array technology of testing of rail and welds.

- x.  Deployment  of  Integrated  Track  Monitoring  Systems  (ITMS)  and  Oscillation Monitoring  System  (OMS)  for  comprehensive  health  assessment  to  ascertain optimal maintenance requirements.

xi.  Adoption  of  portable  Track  Measuring  Trolley  for  continuous  recording  of track parameters in yards.

xii.  Using  web  enabled  Track  Management  System  (TMS)  for  integration  and data analytics of the track inspection records received through various sources to enable precise maintenance inputs.

xiii.  Electrical/Electronic  Interlocking  Systems  with  centralized  operation  of points and signals in place of old mechanical signalling have been provided at 6656 stations as on 31.10.2025.

xiv. Interlocking of Level Crossing Gates (LC) has been provided at 10098 Level Crossing Gates upto 31.10.2025 for enhancing safety at LC Gate.

xv.  Axle  counters  for  automatic  clearance  of  Block  Section,  BPAC  (Block Proving Axle Counter) are provided to ensure complete arrival of train without manual  intervention  before  granting  line  clear  to  receive  next  train  and  to reduce  human  element.  These  systems  have  been  provided  on  6142  Block Sections up to 31.10.2025.

xvi.Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) that enhances line capacity within existing track infrastructure has been provided at 6341 Route km upto 31.10.2025.

As  a  result  of  above  measures,  there  has  been  a  significant  increase  in  the speed  potential  of  the  rail  network.  The  details  of  speed  potential  of  entire railway network over Indian Railways during 2025 vis-a-vis 2014 are as under:

| Sectional    | 2014     | 2014   | 2025 (up to Nov'25)   | 2025 (up to Nov'25)   |
|--------------|----------|--------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
| Speed (kmph) | Track Km | %      | Track Km              | %                     |
| 130 & above  | 5,036    | 6.3    | 23,010                | 21.8                  |
| 110-130      | 26,409   | 33.3   | 60,726                | 57.5                  |
| <110         | 47,897   | 60.4   | 21,936                | 20.8                  |
| Total        | 79,342   | 100    | 1,05,672              | 100                   |

## Redevelopment of Stations

Ministry of Railways has launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations with a long-term approach.

The  scheme  involves  preparation  of  master  plans  and  their  implementation  in phases to improve the stations. The master planning includes:

- Improvement of access to station and circulating areas
- ●
- Integration of station with both sides of city
- Improvement of station building
- Improvement of waiting halls, toilets, sitting arrangement, water booths
- Provision  of  wider  foot  over  bridge/air  concourse  commensurate  with passenger traffic
- Provision of lift/escalators/ramp
- Improvement/Provision of platform surface and cover over platforms
- Provision of kiosks for local products through schemes like 'One Station One Product'
- Parking areas, Multimodal integration
- ●
- Amenities for Divyangjans
- ●
- Better passenger information systems
- Provision of executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings,  landscaping,  etc.  keeping  in  view  the  necessity  at  each station

The  scheme  also  envisages  sustainable  and  environment  friendly  solutions, provision of ballastless tracks etc. as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term.

So  far,  1337  stations  have  been  identified  for  development  under  this  scheme. Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme have been  taken  up  at  a  good  pace.  Till  now,  works  of  160  stations  have  been completed.

The works at other stations have also been taken up at good pace and progress of some of the stations is as given below:

- Tirupati station: The structural framework of new main entry station building on  South  side  and  2  nos.  air  concourses  have  been  completed.  The  finishing works  of  new  main  entry  station  building  on  South  side  and  air  concourses, structural  work  of  station  building  on  North  side,  platform  shelter  works,  lift, escalators etc. have been taken up.

- Nellore  station:  The  structural  frameworks,  brickwork  and  plastering  of station  buildings  on  both  East  and  West  sides  and  structural  work  of  air concourse have been completed. The finishing works of station building on both East and West side and air concourse, extension work of subway, water tanks and sewage treatment plant have been taken up.
- Yesvantpur station: The structural works of East side station building, civil works  of  East  side  sub-station,  East  side  elevated  road  and  Multi  Level  Car parking have been completed. The finishing works of East side station building, East  side  elevated  road  and  Multi  Level  Car  parking,  sewage  treatment  plant, structural work of West side station building and air concourse have been taken up.
- Bangalore Cantt. station: The works of 24 m wide diversion road on the South side,  training  centre,  hostel  on  North  side  and  structural  work  of  South  side station  building  have  been  completed.  The  finishing  work  South  side  station building, structural work of North side station building and Foot Over Bridge have been taken up.
- Rameswaram station: The structural works of East/North terminal building, departure  forecourt,  arrival  forecourt,  residential  tower,  sub-station  building, desalination  plant  and  sewage  treatment  plant  have  been  completed.  The masonry  works  of  East  terminal  building,  finishing  works  of  North  terminal building, departure forecourt, arrival forecourt, residential tower, platform upgradation  including  platform  shelter  and  revamping  of  existing  waiting  hall have been taken up.
- Safdarjung  station:  The  work  of  signal  building,  station  building,  plumbing and firefighting, structural work of operational building up to terrace floor slab, air  concourse  foundation  and  pedestals  have  been  completed.  The  station building  electrical  and  low  voltage  work,  platform  refurbishing  work,  finishing work of operational building, overhead tank and air concourse have been taken up.

Further,  development/redevelopment/upgradation/modernisation  of  stations  on Indian Railways is a continuous and ongoing process and works in this regard are undertaken  as  per  requirement,  subject  to  inter-se  priority  and  availability  of funds. The priority for development / redevelopment / upgradation/modernisation of  stations  is  accorded  to  higher  category  of  station  over  lower  category  of station while sanctioning and executing the works.

Development  /  Upgradation  of  railway  stations  is  complex  in  nature  involving safety of passengers & trains and requires various statutory clearances such as fire  clearance,  heritage,  tree  cutting,  airport  clearance  etc.  The  progress  also gets  affected  due  to  brownfield  related  challenges  such  as  shifting  of  utilities (involving  water/sewage  lines,  optical  fibre  cables,  gas  pipe  lines,  power/signal cables,  etc.),  infringements,  operation  of  trains  without  hindering  passenger movement,  speed  restrictions  due  to  works  carried  out  in  close  proximity  of tracks and high voltage power lines, etc. and these factors affect the completion time.

Development  /  Upgradation  /  Modernisation  of  stations  including  under  Amrit Bharat  Station  Scheme  is  generally  funded  under  Plan  Head-53  'Customer Amenities'.  The  details  of  allocation  and  expenditure  under  Plan  Head-53  are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not work-wise or station-wise or state-wise. The fund allocation of ₹ 12,118 crore has been made for the financial year 202526 under Plan Head-53 and expenditure (up to October, 2025) of ₹7,253 crore has been incurred so far.

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