Information presented to Parliament on Friday states that Indian Railways has accomplished a “remarkable expansion” of 31,180 km between 2014 and 2024, with an average commissioning rate of 8.54 km per day for new lines, gauge conversions, and doubling sections.

In a written response to the Rajya Sabha, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that Indian Railways has currently undertaken 651 surveys for new lines, gauge conversions, and doublings totaling 49,983 km as part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP) for the development of multimodal connectivity infrastructure to various Economic Zones.

According to the minister, the goal is to have integrated planning, improve logistics efficiency, and close gaps for smooth flow of people, products, and services, including access to ports, mines, industrial clusters, power plants, tourist and cultural destinations, and agricultural zones.

According to Vashnaw, Indian Railways has allocated an average of Rs 68,634 crore every year in the budget for projects including new lines, gauge conversions, and doublings.

According to the minister, as of April 1, 2024, 488 railway infrastructure projects (187 new lines, 40 gauge conversions, and 261 doublings) totaling 44,488 km in length and approximately Rs 7.44 lakh crore are in the planning, approval, and construction stages across Indian Railways. Of these, 12,045 km of length have been commissioned, and up to March 2024, expenditures totaling roughly Rs 2.92 lakh crore had been incurred.

Since railway projects may transcend state lines, they are surveyed, approved, and carried out on a zonal railway basis rather than a state, region, or district one. Additionally, depending on the liabilities of ongoing projects, overall fund availability, and competing demands, railway infrastructure projects are undertaken based on remunerativeness, last-mile connectivity, missing links and alternate routes, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations, etc. Vaishnaw continued.