Following are some of the major investments and developments in India’s railways sector:

• India is in the process of developing high-speed train sets capable of reaching a maximum speed of 280 km/h. These trains are being designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in collaboration with BEML. Each train car is estimated to cost approximately Rs. 28 crore (US$ 3.2 million) and will incorporate advanced features such as aerodynamic designs, sealed gangways, and modern amenities.
• India aims to transform Indian Railways into a net-zero emitter as part of its broader energy goals by 2030, as confirmed by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi.
• The implementation of the PPP model is anticipated to meet the growing demand for mineral and coal transportation, with the development of these corridors—integral to the economic corridor program—projected to attract over Rs. 5.25 lakh crore (US$ 60.43 billion) in investments by 2031.
• Siemens Ltd announced on Monday that it has been awarded a Rs. 210 crore (US$ 24.2 million) contract by IRCON International Ltd for the electrification of the Sivok-Rangpo rail line.
• As of April 1, 2024, Indian Railways has 488 railway infrastructure projects underway, including 187 new lines, 40-gauge conversions, and 261 doubling projects, totalling 44,488 km and costing approximately Rs. 7.44 lakh crore (US$ 89.4 billion). Of this, 12,045 km has been commissioned, with an expenditure of around Rs. 2.92 lakh crore (US$ 35.1 billion) incurred by March 2024.
• Indian Railways has achieved a remarkable expansion of 31,180 km from 2014 to 2024.
• Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi lays the foundation stone and dedicates to the nation multiple developmental projects worth over Rs. 1.06 lakh crore (US$ 12.8 billion) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, rides the underwater metro and launches Rs. 15,400 crore (US$ 1.8 billion) projects in Kolkata for better connectivity.
• In 2024-25, railways’ capital expenditure is targeted at US$ 30.33 billion (Rs. 2.52 lakh crore).
• As on January 31, 2024, 41 trains of the Vande Bharat service are running on the Indian Railways, linking states with a Broad Gauge (B.G.) electrified network.
• In October 2023, it was reported that, India’s investments in infrastructure will rise to Rs. 143 trillion (US$ 1.71 trillion) between the financial years 2024 and 2030, as per analytics firm CRISIL.
• With a view to improve rail connectivity and ease travel for commuters, the Union Cabinet approved seven projects for the Ministry of Railways in August 2023 at a cost of around Rs. 32,500 crore (US$ 3.93 billion). Spanning 35 districts in nine States - Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, the projects will add 2,339 km to the existing network.
• In June 2023, IRCON (formerly Indian Railways Construction Company Limited) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited and Ayana Renewable Power Limited. This partnership will consider suitable opportunities for solar energy production for the Indian Railways as they intend to increase the share of renewables in their overall energy mix.
• In FY23, Northwestern Railway registered the highest growth in freight earnings at Rs. 6,839.93 crore (US$ 832.39 million), which is 30.82% higher than last year’s earnings of Rs. 5,228.13 crore (US$ 636.3 million). Freight loading also increased to 32.69 million tonnes, which is 10.07% higher than last year’s loading of 29.70 million tonnes.
• One major development is the launch of the “Vande Bharat Express “, India’s first semi-high speed train. This train, which can reach speeds of up to 160 km/h, has been manufactured indigenously by the Indian Railways’ Integral Coach Factory. It features several modern amenities such as onboard Wi-Fi, GPS-based passenger information system, and CCTV cameras.
• The focus on increasing the use of technology to improve safety and efficiency. This includes the use of CCTV cameras in trains and at stations, the implementation of an Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system to prevent collisions, and the use of GPS-based systems for real-time tracking of trains.
• Indian Railways is also working on upgrading its infrastructure, with a focus on electrification of lines, the construction of new lines, and the redevelopment of existing stations. The government has also announced plans to invest in high-speed trains, such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, which is being implemented with the assistance of Japan.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in railway-related components stood at Rs. 9,155 crore (US$ 1.42 billion) from April 2000-September 2024.
• In the case of freight earnings, it experienced a year-on-year growth of 20.84%. It stood at US$ 18.55 billion in FY22 as compared to FY21 which was at US$ 15.35 billion.
• Freight remains the key revenue-earning segment for Indian Railways, accounting for 75.2% of the total revenue in FY22, followed by the passenger segment.
• Indian Railways aims to achieve 100% electrification of all broad-gauge routes by 2023.
• The Indian Railways is likely to deliver 58 supercritical as well as 68 critical projects worth more than Rs. 1,15,000 crore (US$ 15.44 billion) in the next few years. 29 supercritical projects-spanning 1,044 km and costing Rs. 11,588 crore (US$ 1.5 billion)-have been commissioned. Four projects worth Rs. 1,408 crore (US$ 189.05 million) have been completed and the remaining projects are targeted for completion by March 2024.
• The Indian Railways has decided to undertake electrification of Broad Gauge (BG) rail lines in a mission mode and is likely to complete the process by 2023-24. Indian Railways electrified 58,812 Route Kilometers (RKMs) till March 31, 2023, which is about 90% of the total broad-gauge network (65,300 RKMs) of Indian Railways. About Rs. 21,000 crore (US$ 2.8 billion) is estimated to be spent on electrification of the remaining BG routes.
• The Indian Railways completed eight major capacity enhancement projects by taking advantage of the coronavirus lockdown. These projects included three supercritical projects with a combined length of 68 km, three critical projects with a combined length of 45 km, upgradation of the entire 389 km railway line from Jhajha in Bihar to Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction in Uttar Pradesh and a new 82 km port connectivity line to Paradip.
• As a part of the Railways’ plans to upgrade its network, the Ministry announced that all non-AC sleeper coaches will be replaced by AC coaches for trains running >130 kmph. This move has been taken as a technical necessity for high-speed trains with the bonus of improving the passenger experience.