NEW DELHI (Metro Rail & Steel): The Indian Railways has put forward an ambitious proposal to embark on a Rs 4.2 lakh crore mega plan aimed at multi-tracking seven high-density corridors across the country. These corridors, including routes like Delhi-Howrah, Mumbai-Howrah, and Delhi-Mumbai, play a pivotal role in the movement of freight and passenger trains. The plan, expected to span the next decade from 2024-25 to 2033-34, involves extensive infrastructure development, including doubling and laying of third and fourth lines on various stretches according to traffic demand, as well as the construction of flyovers and underpasses.
The initiative is timely as the railways are planning to introduce faster passenger trains, including the modern Bande Bharat trains with sleeper facilities, designed to achieve a maximum speed of 220 kmph. To facilitate quicker decision-making, the Railway Board and the minister are expected to receive more financial powers. The main impetus behind this massive investment proposal is to significantly increase the capacity of these high-density corridors to accommodate more trains. Despite covering just 16% of the entire Indian Railways network, these corridors bear the burden of 41% of the traffic. This congestion has limited the scope for the introduction of additional trains and the enhancement of their speed.
The railway ministry highlighted that due to this congestion, the average speed of freight trains in India is around 18-20 kmph, whereas in developed countries, it averages around 50 kmph. This slower movement directly impacts logistics costs. Freight transportation revenue is the backbone of the railways’ finances and helps offset losses incurred in passenger transportation. Moreover, the railways have underscored in their proposal that their current share in total freight movement stands at a mere 27%, while goods transported by road constitute nearly 70%. An increase in the railways’ share in cargo transportation to 35% is projected to save approximately 5.2% of the overall logistics cost.
This initiative aligns with India’s goal to reduce logistics costs to single digits from the current 14%. The railways have also set their sights on doubling freight movement to 3,000 million tonnes by 2030, further underscoring the significance of this transformative plan. The proposal is expected to undergo scrutiny and discussions within the Union Cabinet, with the potential to reshape the future of rail transport in India, enhancing both passenger and freight services, while contributing to the country’s logistics and transportation goals.
