Indian Railways Achieves 6,450 km Track Overhaul, Increases Speed Limit to 130 kmph on Major Routes
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New Delhi, Dec 29 (NationPress) Indian Railways has successfully completed 6,450 km of full track renewal, 8,550 turnout renewals, and increased speeds to 130 kmph over 2,000 km in 2024, according to the Railway Ministry's year-end review published on Sunday.
Additionally, 3,210 route km of tracks were electrified in 2024, bringing the electrified broad gauge (BG) network to 97 percent, with renewable energy capacity reaching 2,014 MW.
A remarkable 136 Vande Bharat trains and the inaugural Namo Bharat Rapid Rail were launched during the year, along with 21,513 special train trips during peak travel seasons, as highlighted in the review.
Furthermore, 10,000 locos are being outfitted with Kavach safety technology, and bids have been called for 15,000 route km as part of a modernization initiative aimed at enhancing safety on the railway network, according to the review.
In 2024, the railways also transported 1,473 million tonnes of freight, marking a growth of 3.86 percent and boosting earnings, with the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) facilitating over 72,000 train runs.
Moreover, redevelopment projects commenced for 1,198 stations out of 1,337 stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The remaining stations are at various stages of tendering and planning. The redevelopment of railway stations nationwide is expected to have a multiplier effect on the economy, fostering job creation and enhancing economic growth, as noted in the review.
Six railway stations, including Rani Kamlapati Station of West Central Railway, Gandhinagar Capital Station of Western Railway, Sir M. Visveswaraya Terminal Station of South Western Railway, the first phase of Gomti Nagar Railway Station of North Eastern Railway, Ayodhya Railway Station of Northern Railway, and Cuttack Railway Station of East Coast Railway, have been developed and commissioned, according to the report.
Additionally, the railways digitized heritage sites, encompassing 80 stations and 78 structures, while events like Ghum have boosted tourism, as reported.
The No Elephant Intrusion Detection System (EIDS) has been implemented at a critical vulnerable spot in the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to avert accidents involving elephants at a total expenditure of Rs 208 crore.
The Railway Board has also instructed Zonal Railways and CRIS to develop an application for monitoring the Coach Guidance System (CGS) and Train Indicators Boards (TIB), integrated with the National Train Enquiry System (NTES).
Moreover, Digital Very High Frequency (VHF) sets have been introduced over Indian Railways for communication between Loco pilots and Guards to ensure elevated levels of safety and efficiency.
In a bid to leverage the benefits offered by digital technology-based VHF sets, the Railway Board has authorized the procurement of only Digital 5W Walkie-Talkie sets across Indian Railways, as mentioned in the review.
