New Delhi, July 24 : Indian Railways has sanctioned 237 major infrastructure projects covering 9,703 km over the last three financial years and the current fiscal (FY26), the government informed Parliament on Wednesday.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, said the projects include 40 new lines, 17 gauge conversions, and 180 track doubling works. The estimated cost of these projects is ?1.90 lakh crore.
He further informed that 892 surveys covering new lines, gauge conversions, and doubling spanning 61,462 km were also approved during the same period.
Ashwini Vaishnaw said that 34,428 km of railway tracks were commissioned between 2014 and 2025 an average of 8.57 km per day compared to 7,599 km (4.2 km per day) from 2009 to 2014.
He attributed this growth to better coordination under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which has helped in faster approvals, improved planning, and reduced project costs.
To modernise stations, 1,337 railway stations have been taken up under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Additionally, new-age trains like Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat Rapid Rail have been introduced to enhance passenger comfort and travel experience.
Minister also highlighted major steps in improving safety. Indian Railways has developed Kavach, an automatic train protection system, now being implemented on a mission mode. All unmanned level crossings on broad gauge lines have been eliminated, and manned crossings are being replaced with Road Over/Under Bridges in phases.(KNS)
