Indian Railways completes over 1,900 km of key infrastructure projects to boost connectivity

Indian Railways has completed several major infrastructure projects spanning over 1,900 kilometres across the country, strengthening rail connectivity, enhancing freight efficiency and supporting regional economic growth.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the details in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, highlighting the government’s focus on expanding railway capacity and modernising infrastructure.

Major rail projects completed

Among the key projects recently completed are the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line, which improves connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, and the 51-km Bairabi-Sairang railway line, strengthening rail access to Mizoram.

Other significant projects include the 467-km Pune-Miraj-Londa railway line doubling, the 279-km Katni-Bina railway line third line, and new or upgraded routes such as Araria-Galgalia, Deoband-Roorkee, and Churu-Ratangarh.

These projects aim to enhance line capacity, reduce congestion and enable smoother movement of passenger and freight trains across the country.

Faster expansion of railway tracks

The Ministry of Railways said railway track expansion has accelerated significantly over the past decade. Between 2009 and 2014, about 7,599 km of new tracks were commissioned, averaging 4.2 km per day.

In comparison, 34,428 km of tracks were commissioned between 2014 and 2025, increasing the pace to 8.6 km per day, more than double the earlier rate.

Boost to regional development

The Ministry said infrastructure projects play a major role in socio-economic development by improving connectivity, reducing transportation costs and increasing logistics efficiency.

They also help generate employment, promote tourism, strengthen industrial activity and reduce operational bottlenecks in the rail network.

₹2.93 lakh crore worth of projects sanctioned

Over the last five years, Indian Railways has sanctioned 308 new railway projects, including new lines, gauge conversions and track doubling, with a total investment of around ₹2.93 lakh crore.

Major projects include doubling works such as Guntur-Bibinagar, Lumding-Furkating, Gondia-Ballarshah, Secunderabad-Wadi, and Delhi-Ambala Cantt, along with new lines like Manmad-Indore and Malkangiri-Pandurangapuram.

These initiatives are expected to significantly increase network capacity and allow the operation of more passenger and freight trains.

Faster implementation measures

The Ministry has taken several steps to accelerate project implementation, including higher budget allocations, greater delegation of powers to field officials and regular monitoring of project progress.

Coordination with state governments for land acquisition, forest clearances and other approvals has also been strengthened to ensure timely completion of railway projects, the ministry said.

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