Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Monday that India aims to introduce 3,000 new regular train services over the coming five years.
This ambitious expansion seeks to enhance capacity primarily for middle and lower-middle-class passengers, following the successful addition of 2,000 train services in the post-COVID period.
Vaishnaw highlighted the transformation of the railway sector since 2014, contrasting current investment levels with the limited funds allocated in the previous 60 to 70 years. He identified the 2016 merger of the railway and general budgets as a pivotal moment that enabled investment to increase from ₹35,000 crore to ₹2,72,000 crore. He stated, “In the last 60-70 years, the investment in railways was peanuts. It was like 20,000 crore or something. Prime Minister Modi started increasing it in 2014. He merged the budgets. The railway budget used to be separate. The general budget used to be a separate budget. In 2016, he merged both budgets. From a 35,000 crore rupees investment, he has brought it to 2,72,000 crore rupees. It’s a gap of 50-60 years which has to be filled up in the last 10 years. It’s still in the third mode of transport for the middle class and lower middle class. Absolutely. And that is what our focus is.”
To facilitate the increased number of trains, the government has prioritised infrastructure development. Approximately 36,000 kilometres of new railway tracks have been laid, representing new infrastructure rather than upgrades. Additionally, upgrades to about 75,000 kilometres of existing track have been completed.
Vaishnaw added, “In just after the COVID, we have added about 2,000 more train services after COVID. And in the next five years, we want to add at least 3,000 more regular trains. Once you add that many trains, you need more capacity. That’s why when you look at the entire growth strategy, the first pillar of investment, we have been able to add about 36,000 kilometres of railway tracks. You need a railway track to run a train, right? 36,000 kilometres of railway tracks have been added. This is not upgradation, this is new tracks. Upgradation is of the order of about 75,000 kilometres.”
The Minister also expressed optimism regarding the progress of India’s first bullet train project, reporting an efficient construction pace of 15 kilometres per month. Key milestones include the inauguration of the Surat to Bilimora section in August 2027. Subsequent openings planned are Vapi to Surat, Vapi to Ahmedabad, Thane to Ahmedabad, and finally the full Mumbai to Ahmedabad corridor.
He said, “The bullet train project has progressed very well. We are constructing almost 15 kilometres a year, a month, I am sorry, 15 kilometres a month. By now, practically the entire Gujarat section out of that, the first section that we have taken as a priority section, Surat to Bilimora, will be inaugurated next year in August, 2027. And after that, section by section, then after Surat Bilimora, we will be opening Vapi to Surat. Then we will be opening Vapi to Ahmedabad and then Thane to Ahmedabad, and then Mumbai to Ahmedabad. So that entire section will be open and then the next corridors we have already started working on them. These corridors will bring a huge change.”
Vaishnaw emphasised that these high-speed rail corridors, combined with the expanded frequency of regular trains, aim to transform India’s transportation landscape and address the infrastructure deficit accumulated over several decades.