Lok Sabha Question No. 1838 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-30
Subject: ‘Mission Raftaar’ Scheme
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1838

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2025

## 'MISSION RAFTAAR' SCHEME

1838. SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  objectives  and  achievements  of  the  'Mission  Raftaar'  scheme  to enhance average train speeds for both passenger and freight services.
- (b) the infrastructure improvements made under this mission, including track doubling, electrification and signalling upgrades; and
- (c)  whether any third-party evaluation have been carried out to assess the impact  of  the  scheme  and  if  so,  the  details  and  the  outcomes  of  such reviews?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (c) Mission Raftaar was announced in the Railway Budget 2016-17 with the target of increasing the average speed  of freight and superfast mail/express  trains.  Speeding  up  of  trains  is  a  constant  endeavor  and  a continuous process which is dependent upon upgradation of tracks, signaling system, OHE, high powered locos, modern coaches etc.

The  medium-term  and  long-term  plans  to  achieve  the  Mission  include infrastructure  improvement  i.e.  construction  of  3 rd   line,  4 th line,  providing bypasses, rail flyovers, right powering of trains, replacement of conventional loco hauled trains by MEMUs, time tabling changes, modification of 1x25 KV traction system to 2x25 KV traction system etc. Upgradation  and  improvement  of  railway  tracks  on  Indian  Railways  to increase the speed potential have been carried out in a big way during last 10  years.  The  measures  for  track  upgradation  include  use  of  60  kg  rails, wider  base  concrete  sleepers,  thick  web  switches,  longer  rail  panels,  H Beam sleepers, modern track renewal and maintenance machines etc. As a result of above measures, there has been significant increase in speed potential  of  the  tracks.  The  details  of  speed  potential  of  railway  tracks

during 2014 vis a vis 2025 are as under.

|                        | 2014     | 2014   | 2025     | 2025   |
|------------------------|----------|--------|----------|--------|
| Sectional Speed (kmph) | Track Km | %      | Track Km | %      |
| < 110                  | 47,897   | 60.4   | 22,862   | 21.6   |
| 110-130                | 26,409   | 33.3   | 59,800   | 56.6   |
| 130 & above            | 5,036    | 6.3    | 23,010   | 21.8   |
| Total                  | 79,342   | 100    | 1,05,672 | 100    |

Two  major  routes  i.e.  New  Delhi  -  Mumbai  &  New  Delhi  -  Howrah  of  the Golden Quadrilateral have been taken up for enhancing the speed potential upto 160 kmph.

Indian Railways are inter alia proliferating Vande Bharat Trains which have higher speed potential, converting passenger trains operating with conventional  coaches  into  Vande  Metro  type  services  (which  have  higher acceleration/deceleration owing to distrusted power).

Indian  Railway  has  already  commissioned  1337  Km  of  Eastern  Dedicated Freight  Corridor  and  1404  Km of  Western  dedicated Freight  Corridor  which has enabled freight trains to run at higher speed.

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