Lok Sabha Question No. 1818 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-10
Subject: Safety/Efficiency/Passenger Experience in Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne, Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1818 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2025

## SAFETY/EFFICIENCY/PASSENGER EXPERIENCE IN RAILWAYS

1818. SHRI NARESH GANPAT MHASKE:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE:

SHRI RAVINDRA DATTARAM WAIKAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Railways has undertaken key reforms to enhance safety, efficiency and passenger experience and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  details  of  the  progress  made  under  the  Amrit  Bharat  Station  Scheme including the number of stations redeveloped and the amenities provided;
- (c) the  details  of  the  status  of  implementation  of  the  National  Automatic  Train Protection system 'Kavach' and its impact on train safety;
- (d) the details of the measures taken/being taken by the Government to eliminate unmanned level crossings and replace manned level crossings with ROBs/RUBs in the Country particularly in Maharashtra; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote digital transactions, modern trains and reforms in freight transportation along with the impact of these initiatives on overall efficiency and customer satisfaction?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (e):  Safety  is  accorded  the  highest  priority  on  Indian  Railways.  As  a consequence  of  various  safety  measures  taken  over  the  years,  there  has  been  a steep  decline  in  the  number  of  accidents.  Consequential  Train  Accidents  have reduced from 135 in 2014-15 to 31 in 2024-25 as shown in the graph below.

It  may  be  noted  that  the  Consequential  Train  Accidents  during  the  period 2004-14 was 1711 (average 171 per annum), which has declined to 31 in 2024-25 and further to 11 in 2025-26 (uptoNovember, 2025).

Another  important  index  showing  improved  safety  in  train  operations  is Accidents  Per  Million  Train  Kilometer  (APMTKM)  which  has  reduced  from  0.11  in 2014-15 to 0.03 in  2024-25,  indicating  an  improvement  of  approx.  73%  during  the said period.

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The various safety measures taken to enhance safety in train operations are as under:-

## 1. On Indian Railways, the expenditure on Safety related activities has increased over the years as under:-

| Expenditure/Budget on Safety related activities (Rs. in Cr.)   | Expenditure/Budget on Safety related activities (Rs. in Cr.)   | Expenditure/Budget on Safety related activities (Rs. in Cr.)   | Expenditure/Budget on Safety related activities (Rs. in Cr.)   | Expenditure/Budget on Safety related activities (Rs. in Cr.)   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2013-14                                                        | 2022-23                                                        | 2023-24                                                        | 2024-25                                                        | 2025-26                                                        |
| (Act.)                                                         | (Act.)                                                         | (Act.)                                                         |                                                                |                                                                |
| 39,463                                                         | 87,327                                                         | 1,01,651                                                       | 1,14,022                                                       | 1,16,470                                                       |

2. Electrical/Electronic  Interlocking  Systems  with  centralized  operation  of  points and  signals  have  been  provided  at  6,656  stations  up  to  31.10.2025  to  reduce accident due to human failure.
3. Interlocking  of  Level  Crossing  (LC)  Gates  has  been  provided  at  10,098  Level Crossing Gates up to 31.10.2025 for enhancing safety at LC Gates.
4. Complete Track Circuiting of stations to enhance safety by verification of track occupancy  by  electrical  means  has  been  provided  at  6,661  stations  up  to 31.10.2025.
5. Kavach is a highly technology intensive system, which requires safety certification of highest order. Kavach was adopted as a National ATP system in July 2020. Kavach is provided progressively in phased manner. Initially, Kavach Version 3.2 was deployed on 1465 RKm of South Central Railway and 80 RKm of North Central Railway. Kavach specification Version 4.0 was approved by RDSO on 16.07.2024. After extensive and elaborate trials, Kavach Version 4.0has been successfully commissioned on Palwal-Mathura-Kota-Nagda section (633Rkm) on Delhi-Mumbai  route  and  on  Howrah-Bardhaman  section  (105RKm)  on  DelhiHowrah route. Kavach implementation has been taken up in balance sections of Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah route. Further, Kavach implementation has been taken  up  on  15,512  RKm  covering  all  GQ,  GD,  HDN  and  identified  sections  of Indian Railways.
6. Detailed instructions on issues related with safety of Signalling, e.g. mandatory correspondence  check,  alteration  work  protocol,  preparation  of  completion drawing, etc. have been issued.
7. System of disconnection and reconnection for S&T equipment as per protocol has been re-emphasized.
8. All  locomotives  are  equipped  with  Vigilance  Control Devices  (VCD)  to  improve alertness of Loco Pilots.
9. Retro-reflective  sigma  boards  are  provided  on  the  mast  which  is  located  two OHE masts prior to the signals in electrified territories to alert the crew about the signal ahead when visibility is low due to foggy weather.
10. A GPS based Fog Safety Device (FSD) is provided to loco pilots in fog affected areas  which  enables  loco  pilots  to  know  the  distance  of  the  approaching landmarks like signals, level crossing gates, etc.
11. Modern track structure consisting of 60kg, 90 Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) rails,  Prestressed  Concrete  Sleeper  (PSC)  Normal/Wide  base  sleepers  with elastic fastening, fan shaped layout turnout on PSC sleepers, Steel Channel/Hbeam  Sleepers  on  girder  bridges  is  used  while  carrying  out  primary  track renewals.
12. Mechanisation of track laying activity through use of track machines like PQRS, TRT, T-28 etc. to reduce human errors.
13. Maximizing supply of 130m/260m long rail panels for increasing progress of rail renewal and avoiding welding of joints, thereby improving safety.
14. Ultrasonic  Flaw  Detection  (USFD)  testing  of  rails  to  detect  flaws  and  timely removal of defective rails.
15. Laying  of  longer  rails,  minimizing  the  use  of  Alumino  Thermic  Welding  and adoption of better welding technology for rails i.e., Flash Butt Welding.
16. Monitoring of track geometry by OMS (Oscillation Monitoring System) and TRC (Track Recording Cars).
17. Patrolling of railway tracks to look out for weld/rail fractures.
18. The use of Thick Web Switches and Weldable CMS Crossing in turnout renewal works.
19. Inspections at regular intervals are carried out to monitor and educate staff for observance of safe practices.
20. Web  based  online  monitoring  system  of  track  assets  viz.  Track  database  and decision support system has been adopted to decide rationalized maintenance requirement and optimize inputs.
21. Detailed  instructions  on  issues  related  with  safety  of  Track,  e.g.  integrated block,  corridor  block,  worksite  safety,  monsoon  precautions,  etc.  have  been issued.
22. Preventive maintenance of railway assets (Coaches & Wagons) is undertaken to ensure safe train operations.
23. Replacement of conventional ICF design coaches with LHB design coaches is being done.
24. All  unmanned  level  crossings  (UMLCs)  on  Broad  Gauge  (BG)  route  have  been eliminated by January 2019.
25. Safety of Railway Bridges is ensured through regular inspection of Bridges. The requirement  of  repair/rehabilitation  of  Bridges  is  taken  up  based  upon  the conditions assessed during these inspections.
26. Indian Railways has displayed Statutory 'Fire Notices' for widespread passenger information  in  all  coaches.  Fire  posters  are  provided  in  every  coach  so  as  to educate and alert passengers regarding various Do's and Don'ts to prevent fire. These  include  messages  regarding  not  carrying  any  inflammable  material, explosives, prohibition of smoking inside the coaches, penalties etc.
27. Production Units are providing Fire detection and suppression system in newly manufactured Power Cars and Pantry Cars, Fire and Smoke detection system in newly  manufactured  coaches.  Progressive  fitment  of  the  same  in  existing coaches is also underway by Zonal Railways in a phased manner.
28. Regular counselling and training of staff is undertaken.
29. Concept  of  Rolling  Block  introduced  in  Indian  Railways  (Open  Lines)  General Rules  vide  Gazette  notification  dated  30.11.2023,  wherein  work  of  integrated maintenance/ repair/replacement of assets is planned up to 52 weeks in advance on rolling basis and executed as per plan.

The details of the Safety related works related to better maintenance practices, Technological improvements, better infrastructure and rolling stock etc. undertaken by Railways are tabulated below:-

| S.N.   | Item                                   | 2004-05 to 2013-14         | 2014-15 to 2024-25         | 2014-25 Vs. 2004-14        |
|--------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
|        | Technological Improvements             | Technological Improvements | Technological Improvements | Technological Improvements |
| 1.     | Use of high-quality rails (60 Kg) (Km) | 57,450 Km                  | 1.43 Lakh Km               | More than 2 times          |
| 2.     | Longer Rail Panels (260m) (Km)         | 9,917 Km                   | 77,522 Km                  | Nearly 8 times             |

| 3.   | Electronic Interlocking (Stations)                        | 837 Stations                            | 3,691 Stations                                   | More than 4 times                       |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 4.   | Fog Pass Safety Devices (Nos.)                            | As on 31.03.14: 90 Nos.                 | As on 31.03.25: 25,939 Nos.                      | 288 times                               |
| 5.   | Thick Web Switches (Nos.)                                 | Nil                                     | 28,301 Nos.                                      |                                         |
|      | Better Maintenance Practices                              | Better Maintenance Practices            | Better Maintenance Practices                     | Better Maintenance Practices            |
| 1.   | Primary Rail Renewal (Track Km)                           | 32,260 Km                               | 49,941 Km                                        | 1.5 times                               |
| 2.   | USFD (Ultra Sonic Flaw detection) Testing of Welds (Nos.) | 79.43 Lakh                              | 2 Cr.                                            | More than 2 times                       |
| 3.   | Weld failures (Nos.)                                      | In 2013-14: 3699 Nos.                   | In 2024-25: 370 Nos.                             | 90 % reduction                          |
| 4.   | Rail fractures (Nos.)                                     | In 2013-14: 2548 Nos.                   | In 2024-25: 289 Nos.                             | More than 88% reduction                 |
|      | Better Infrastructure and Rolling Stock                   | Better Infrastructure and Rolling Stock | Better Infrastructure and Rolling Stock          | Better Infrastructure and Rolling Stock |
| 1.   | New Track KM added (Track Km)                             | 14,985 Km                               | 34,428 Km                                        | More than 2 times                       |
| 2.   | Flyovers (RoBs)/ Underpasses (RUBs) (Nos.)                | 4,148 Nos.                              | 13,808 Nos.                                      | More than 3 times                       |
| 3.   | Unmanned Level crossings (Nos.) on BG                     | As on 31.03.14: 8,948                   | As on 31.03.24: Nil (All eliminated by 31.01.19) | Removed                                 |
| 4.   | Manufacture of LHB Coaches (Nos.)                         | 2,337 Nos.                              | 42,677                                           | More than 18 times                      |

## Implementation of Kavach

1. Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system. Kavach is a highly technology intensive system, which requires safety certification of highest order (SIL-4).
2. Kavach aids the Loco Pilot in running of trains within specified speed limits by automatic application of brakes in case Loco Pilot fails to do so and also helps the trains to run safely during inclement weather.
3. The  first  field  trials  on  the  passenger  trains  were  started  in  February  2016. Based  on  the  experience  gained  and  Independent  Safety  Assessment  of  the system  by  Independent  Safety  Assessor  (ISA),  three  firms  were  approved  in 2018-19, for supply of Kavach Ver 3.2.
4. Kavach was adopted as National ATP system in July 2020.
5. 5.
6. Implementation of Kavach System involves following Key Activities:-
- a. Installation of Station Kavach at each and every station, block section.
- b. Installation of RFID Tags throughout the track length.
- c. Installation of telecom Towers throughout the section.
- d. Laying of Optical Fibre Cable along the track.
- e. Provision  of  Loco  Kavach  on  each  and  every  Locomotive  running  on  Indian Railways.
6. Based  on  deployment  of  Kavach  version  3.2  on  1465  RKm  on  South  Central Railway  and  experience  gained,  further  improvements  were  made.  Finally, Kavach specification version 4.0 was approved by RDSO on 16.07.2024.
7. Kavach version 4.0 covers all the major features required for the diverse railway network. This is a significant milestone in safety for Indian Railways. Within a short  period,  IR  has  developed,  tested  and  started  deploying  Automatic  Train Protection System.
8. Major  improvement  in  Version  4.0  includes  increased  Location  Accuracy, Improved  Information  of  Signal  Aspects  in  bigger  yards,  Station  to  Station Kavach interface on OFC and Direct Interface to existing Electronic Interlocking System.  With  these  improvements,  Kavach  Ver.4.0.  is  planned  for  large  scale deployment over Indian Railways.
9. After extensive and elaborate trials, Kavach Version 4.0 has been successfully commissioned on 738 Route km on Palwal - Mathura- Nagda section (633 Rkm) on  Delhi  -  Mumbai  route  and  Howrah-Bardhaman  section  (105  Rkm)  Delhi  Howrah route. Kavach implementation has been taken up in balance sections of Delhi - Mumbai & Delhi - Howrah corridors.
10. Progress of key items of Kavach on High density routes including Delhi- Mumbai & Delhi- Howrah corridors are as under:-
11. Further, track side Kavach implementation work has been taken up on 15,512 RKm covering all GQ, GD, HDN and identified sections of Indian Railways.
12. Bids  have  been  invited  for  equipping  another  9,069  locomotives  with  Kavach version  4.0.  Kavach  is  being  provided  progressively  in  a  phased  manner  in locomotives.
13. Specialized training programmes on Kavach are being conducted at centralized training institutes of Indian Railways to impart training to all concerned officials. By  now  more  than  40,000  technicians,  operators  and  engineers  have  been trained  on  Kavach  technology.  This  includes  30,000  Loco  Pilots  &  Assistant Loco Pilots. Courses have been designed in collaboration with IRISET.
14. The cost for provision of Track Side including Station equipment of Kavach is approximately Rs. 50 Lakhs/Km and cost for provision of Kavach equipment on locomotives is approximately Rs. 80 Lakh/Loco.
15. The fund utilized on Kavach works so far up to Oct'25 is Rs. 2,354.36 Crore. The allocation  of  funds  during  the  year  2025-26  is  Rs.  1673.19  Crores.  Requisite funds are made available as per the progress of works.

| SN   | Item                                 | Progress   |
|------|--------------------------------------|------------|
| I.   | Laying of Optical Fibre Cable        | 7,129 Km   |
| II.  | Installation of Telecom Towers       | 860 Nos    |
| III. | Provision of Kavach at Stations      | 549 Nos    |
| IV.  | Installation of Track side equipment | 2,674 RKm  |
| V.   | Provision of Kavach on Locos         | 4,154      |

## Introduction Of Upgraded & Modern Trains ToEnhance Passenger Experience

To enhance passengers' comfort and experience, Indian Railways have taken several measures during last few years, which include modernization and Improvement/up-gradation of Rolling Stock to enhance safety, speed, convenience and  comfort  of  passengers.  It  is  a  continuous  and  ongoing  process  on  Indian Railways.

In its constant endeavour  to provide faster service and better travel experience to the passengers, Indian Railways are introducing indigenously designed  and  manufactured  Vande  Bharat  trains,  Amrit  Bharat  trains,  and  Namo Rapid  Rail  service,  which  have  modern  coaches,  enhanced  safety  features  and better  amenities.  Presently,  164  Vande  Bharat  services,  30  Amrit  Bharat  services and 4 Namo Rapid Rail services are in operation on Indian Railways network.

The new Vande Bharat Trains have following features:-

- I. Fitted with KAVACH.
- II. Jerk Free Semi-Permanent couplers.
3. III.
4. Centrally controlled Automatic Plug Doors and Fully Sealed wider gangways.
- IV. Emergency Alarm Push buttons and Talk Back Units on all Coaches.
- V. Improved fire safety - Aerosol based fire detection and suppression system in
7. electrical cabinets and lavatories.
- VI. Higher acceleration with design/operating speed of 180/160 KMPH.
- VII. Driver-Guard  communication  with  voice  recording  facility  &  Crash  hardened memory.
- VIII. Air conditioning units with indigenously developed UV-C lamp based disinfection system.
- IX. Better Ride Comfort.
- X. CCTVs in all Coaches.
- XI. For  Divyangjan  passengers  special  lavatory  in  the  driving  coaches  on  each end.
- XII. Coach condition monitoring System (CCMS) display with remote monitoring.

Railways  have  developed  fully  non-AC  modern  trainnamed  as  Amrit  Bharat express.Presently,  these  modern  trains  comprise  of  11  General  Class  coaches,

8 Sleeper Class coaches, 01 Pantry car and 02 Luggage cum Divyangjan coaches.

## These trains have following enhanced features and amenities:-

- I. Better aesthetics of seat and berths with enhanced look & feel on the lines of Vande Bharat Sleeper.
2. II.
3. III.
4. IV.
5. Jerk Free Semi-Automatic Couplers.
6. Improved Crashworthiness in coaches by provision of crash tube.
7. Provision of CCTV system in all coaches and Luggage room.
- V. Improved designs of toilets.
9. VI.
10. Improved design of Ladder for ease of climbing on to the berth.
- VII. Improved LED Light fitting & Charging Sockets.
- VIII. Provision of EP assisted braking system.
- IX. Aerosol based fire suppression system in toilets and electrical cubicles.
- X. USB Type-A and Type-C mobile charging sockets.
- XI. Emergency Talk Back system for two-way communication between Passenger and Guard/Train Manager.
- XII. Non-AC pantry with enhanced heating capacity.
- XIII. Fully  sealed  gangways  with  quick  release  mechanism  for  easy  attachment and detachment.

Namo  Bharat  Rapid  Rail  has  been  introduced  to  enhance  the  travelling experience  of  suburban  and  regional  commuters  for  inter-city  short  distance movement by harnessing the features of Vande Bharat Trains.

The prominent features of Namo Bharat Rapid Rail are as follows:-

- I.
- II.
- III.
- IV.
- Centrally controlled Double Leaf Automatic Sliding Doors.
- CCTVs for safety and passenger surveillance.
- Modular interior with Cushioned Seats and Sealed Flexible Gangway.
- Emergency Talk System.
- V. Continuous LED lighting with Energy Efficient Lighting system.
- VI. FRP Modular Toilets with vacuum evacuation.
- VII. Fully Air-Conditioned trains with Driver cab AC.

Further, the work of replacement of earlier ICF coaches with safer and more modern  LHB  coaches  has  been  taken  up  in  a  phased  manner.  Technologically superior  LHB  coaches  have  better  riding,  improved  aesthetics  and  features  like Lightweight design, Anti climbing features, Air suspension (Secondary) with failure indication system, stainless steel shell and disc brake system etc.

## Production of LHB coaches during 2014-25 vis-à-vis 2004-14 is as under:-

| Period   | LHB coaches manufactured         |
|----------|----------------------------------|
| 2004-14  | 2,337 nos.                       |
| 2014-25  | 42,677 nos. (more than 18 times) |

## Cleanliness

Cleanliness is a continuous process and every endeavour is made to keep the railway coaches and stations in properly maintained and clean condition. Some of the efforts being undertaken are enumerated below:-

- I. Cleaning of coaches including toilets of trains is done at both ends including mechanized cleaning.
- II. On Board Housekeeping Service (OBHS) has been provided in long distance Mail/Express  trains  for  cleaning  of  coach  toilets,  doorways,  aisles  and passenger compartments during the run of the trains.
- III. Clean  Train  Station  (CTS)  are  operational  for  limited  mechanized  cleaning attention to identified trains enroute.
- IV. Pest and rodent control of coaches is being done on a regular basis through authorized professional agencies.
- V. Dustbins are provided in AC and non-AC Coaches.
- VI. Integrated housekeeping contracts at major stations,
- VII. Mechanized  cleaning  and  provision  of  two  bin  type  dustbins  at  several locations for segregation of bio-degradable and non-biodegradable wastes.
- VIII. Rag  picking  contracts  and/or  garbage  disposal  contracts  are  available  at major stations.
- IX. Prevention of falling of fecal matter on Railway tracksby fitting bio-toilets in all passenger coaches, thereby ensuring cleaner Railway Stations.
- X. Installation of plastic bottle crushing machines at major stations.

## 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 155 stations have been completed. Names of these stations are as following:-

Alnavar,  Amb  Andaura,  Ambikapur,  Amgaon,  Anandpur  Sahib,  Anara,  Ayodhya Dham,  Badami,  Bagalkot,  Baijnath  Paprola,  Balrampur,  Bantawala,  Barabhum, Baramati, Bareilly City, Baripada, Barpali, Begumpet, Beohari, Bhanupratappur, Bhilai, Bijnor, Bimalgarh, Bommidi, Bundi, Chanda Fort, Changanassery, Chidambaram,  Chinchpokli,  Chirayinkeezh,  Cuttack,  Dakor,  Derol,  Deshnoke, Devlali, Dharwad, Dhule, Dongargarh, Fatehabad, Fatehpur, Fatehpur Shekhawati,  Gadag,  Godda,  Gogameri,  Gokak  Road,  Gola  Gokarnath,  Gomti Nagar,  Govardhan,  Govind  Garh,  Govindpuri,  Govindpur  Road,  Haibargaon, Haldia,  Hapa,  Harpalpur,  Hathras  City,  Hodal,  Idgah  Agra  Jn.,  Izzatnagar, Jaisalmer,  Jam  Jodhpur,  Jam  Wanthali,  Joychandi  Pahar,  Kakinada  Town, Kalyani  Ghoshpara,  Kamakhyaguri,  Kanalus  Jn.,  Karaikkudi  Jn.,  Karamsad, Karimnagar, Katni South, Kedgaon, Khairthal, Koppal, Kosamba Jn., Kulitturai, Kuttipuram, Lasalgaon, Limbdi, Lohardaga, Lonand Jn., Mahe, Mahuva, Mailani, Mandal  Garh,  MandawarMahwa  Road,  Madhupur,  Manaparai,  Mandi  Dabwali, Mangalagiri, Mannargudi, Matunga, Mithapur, Morappur, Morbi, Muktsar, Munirabad, Murtizapur Jn., Nainpur Jn., Nandura, Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad),  Netaji  Subhash  Chandra  Bose  Itwari  Junction,  Okha,  Orchha, Palitana, Panagarh, Panki dham, Parel, Parlakhemundi, Pirpainti,Piska, Pokhrayan,  Pollachi Jn., Polur, Porbandar,  Rajgarh, Rajmahal,  Rajula Jn., Ramghat  Halt, Rayanpadu,  Saharanpur  Jn., Sahibzada Ajit Singh Mohali, Sahebgunj, Samakhiyali, Samalpatti, Sankarpur, Savda, Seoni, Shahad, Shajapur, Sholavandan, Shoranur Jn., Shridham, Siddharth Nagar, Sior Jn., Suiri, Sri  Bala  Brahmeswara  Jogulamba,  Srirangam,  St.Thomas  Mount,  Sullurpeta, Suraimanpur, Swaminarayan Chappia, Tamluk,Thawe, Thiruvarur Jn., Tiruvannamalai, Tuni, Ujhani, Urkura, Utran, Vadakara, Vadala Road, Vriddhachalam Jn., Warangal.

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  ofnew  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  andstructural  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  24m  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  voltagework,  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.  Therefore,  no  time  frame  can  be  indicated  at  this stage.

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.

## Elimination of Unmanned Level Crossings

All  Unmanned Level  Crossings  (UMLCs)  on  running  lines  of  Broad  Gauge network of Indian Railway have been eliminated by 31.01.2019.

Elimination of level crossings (LCs) is a continuous and dynamic process of Indian Railway. Such works are taken up on the basis of its impact on safety in train operations, mobility of trains & impact for road users and feasibility etc.

MLCs  are  eliminated  either  by  providing  Road  Over  Bridges/Road  Under Bridges    (ROBs/ RUBs) in lieu of LCs or through direct closure (for low traffic LCs) or  by  diversion  of  road  traffic  to  nearby  ROB/RUB/LC  depending  upon  the  site conditions.

Sanctioning and execution of works of Road Over Bridges/ Road Under Bridges (ROBs/RUBs) is a continuous and ongoing process on Indian Railways. Such works are prioritized and taken up on the basis of its impact on safety and mobility in train operations and impact on road users.

Nos. of ROBs/ RUBs constructed on Indian Railways during the period 2004-14 vis a vis 2014-25 (Oct'25) is as under:-

| Period           | ROBs/ RUBs constructed                                         |
|------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2004-14          | 4,148 Nos.                                                     |
| 2014-25 (Oct'25) | 13,653 Nos. (including 1,162 Nos. in the State of Maharashtra) |

As on 01.11.2025, 4,689 No. ROBs/RUBs are sanctioned at cost of Rs. 1,11,583 Cr. on Indian  Railways  including  275  Nos.  sanctioned  works  of  Road  Over Bridge(ROB)/Road  Under  Bridge  (RUB)  at  cost  of  Rs.  5,506  Cr.  in  the  state  of Maharashtra which are at various stages of planning and execution.

## Promotion of Digital Transaction

Steps taken to promote digital transactions by Indian Railways are as under:-

Miscellaneous  E-Receipts  System  (MERS)  portal  has  been  developed  by CRISto facilitate digital payments of inward Miscellaneous Receipts toRailways.Different  types  of  payments  (Security  Deposit,  License  Fee,  Wayleave charges, land license Fee, Wagon  registration fee, PF contribution andGIS recoveries of employees on deputation and Foreign Service contributions)have been received  through  this  application.  This  is  in  line  with  Governmentinitiative  of encouraging digital payments.

## Measures taken to increase in Freight Transportation

Indian Railways has taken several measures to enhance  the freight loading and revenue which includes:

- To increase the network capacity, rail network expansion has been taken up in a big way by construction of new lines, multi tracking of existing lines and gauge conversion of existing lines.  The details of new tracks laid during the 10 years are as under:-

| Period   | New Tracks Commissioned   |
|----------|---------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 7,599 km                  |
| 2014-25  | 34,428 km                 |

Further as on 01.04.25, there are 431(154 New Line, 33 Guage Conversion and 244 Doubling) projects sanctioned.  The summary of which is as under:-

| Category                |   No. of Projects | Total Length (km)   | Length completed till Mar'25 (Km)   | Balance length (Km)   | Cost (Cr.)   |
|-------------------------|-------------------|---------------------|-------------------------------------|-----------------------|--------------|
| New lines               |               154 | 16,142              | 3,036                               | 13,105                | 3,77,389     |
| Gauge conversion        |                33 | 4,180               | 2,997                               | 1,183                 | 43,820       |
| Doubling/Multi tracking |               244 | 15 644              | 6,736                               | 8,909                 | 2,53,711     |
| Total                   |               431 | 35,966              | 12,769                              | 23,197                | 6,74,920     |

- Removing  bottlenecks  in  operations  by  yard  remodeling,  construction  of bypass/chord lines, rail flyovers etc.
- The construction of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) from Ludhiana to Sonnagar (1337 Km) and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) to Dadri (1506 Km) has been taken up. Out of total 2843 kms, 2741 route kms (96.4%) has been commissioned and operational.
- Indian  Railways  has  taken  up  electrification  of  Railway  lines  in  a  mission mode. So far, about 99.1% of Broad Gauge (BG) network has been electrified. A comparison of electrification before and after 2014 is as follows:-
- Procurement  of  Wagons  and  Locomotives:  To  increase  freight  carrying capacity,  large  numbers  of  IR  wagons  have  been  procured  and  locomotives have  been  manufactured.  During  2014  to  2025,  about  2  lakh  wagons  have been  procured  and  more  than  10,000  locomotives  have  been  added  for increasing freight loading and mobility.
- Industry  participation  in  investment  in  General  Purpose  Wagons,  Special Purpose/High-Capacity wagons and Automobile carrier wagons for cement, oil, steel,  fly-ash,  automobile  etc.  So  far,  around  240  rakes  of  special  purpose wagons,  374  rakes  of  general-purpose,  wagons  and  48  rakes  of  automobile wagons have been inducted.
- Under  the  'Gati  Shakti  Multi-Modal  Cargo  Terminal  (GCT)'  policy  so  far,  118 new GCTs have been commissioned, with an estimated traffic capacity of 192 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). In addition, for improvement of freight and parcel  terminals  from  the  financial  year  2023-24  onwards,  an  amount  of ₹14,500 crore has been allocated.
- A 'Bulk Cement Terminal Policy' for setting up terminals on Railway land has been launched recently as part of Railway reforms for facilitating Bulk Cement transportation.
- Ensuring increased availability of rakes/wagons against demand.
- Increasing the loadability for carrying additional traffic per wagon. Length of freight trains has also been increased to increase throughput per train
- Use of Information Technology in freight operations to improve monitoring and utilization of assets.
- Induction of higher horsepower locomotives.
- Improvement in maintenance practices of wagons and locomotives resulting in increased availability of loco and rolling stock for traffic use.
- Improvement  in  track  and  signaling  standards  to  carry  higher  volume  of traffic.
- Training of staff and officers to adopt the new technology and management practices.

| Period      | Route Kilometre   |
|-------------|-------------------|
| Before 2014 | 21,801            |
| 2014-25     | 46,900            |

Because of the above measures, the freight loading has increased from 1,233 MT in 2020-21 to 1617 MT in 2024-25.  During 2024-25, IR has transported 1617 MT thus becoming second largest freight carrying Railways in the world.

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