India’s Railways Boost Train Speeds And Service Efficiency

Indian Railways is making significant strides in improving train travel speed and efficiency. As part of its modernization efforts, over one-fifth of the country’s railway tracks now support speeds of up to 130 km/h, thanks to enhanced safety measures and the introduction of modern signaling systems.

Officials revealed that approximately 23,000 track kilometers (TKM) of the total 1.03 lakh TKM in India’s railway network are now capable of accommodating trains traveling at speeds of 130 km/h. This upgrade has contributed to faster connectivity and reduced journey times across the country. TKM refers to the track length between two points on the rail network.

Additionally, Indian Railways confirmed that 54,337 TKM of tracks can now support speeds up to 110 km/h. In the current fiscal year, 2,741 TKM of the network has already been upgraded to 110 km/h, moving towards a target of 5,000 TKM by the end of the year.

Major Upgrades For High-Speed Rail

Indian Railways has also been working on enhancing its track and signaling infrastructure to support even higher train speeds. Indian Railways is upgrading key stretches, particularly on the Golden Quadrilateral, to accommodate semi-high-speed trains that can reach speeds of up to 160 km/h. The Vande Bharat Express, the flagship passenger train, is designed to operate at these higher speeds.

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Alongside infrastructure improvements, Indian Railways has also reported strong financial growth for the current fiscal year. Between April and December, the organization saw a 4% rise in earnings and a 2% increase in capital expenditure compared to the previous year.

Capital expenditure for this period reached Rs 1.92 lakh crore, while freight operations contributed Rs 1.26 lakh crore in revenue. The passenger segment saw a 6% increase in earnings, totaling Rs 55,988 crore. Overall, total revenue for Indian Railways reached Rs 1.93 lakh crore, marking a Rs 7,674 crore increase compared to the same period last year.

Record Growth In Train Services And Freight

In addition to financial gains, Indian Railways also reported a significant increase in its train services. The number of train runs, including mail, express, passenger, and other services, grew by 3%, reaching a record 2.07 million runs. This marks an all-time high, up from 2.02 million runs during the same period last year.

Special train services, introduced during peak demand periods, saw a 54% increase, with 57,169 services running compared to the previous year. In response to growing passenger demand, Indian Railways also introduced a new timetable featuring 62 special trains on popular routes, along with 74 additional services, including 34 pairs of Vande Bharat trains.