Indian Railways plans four-laning of 11,000-km high-density network to boost train capacity

Indian Railways plans to four-lane around 11,000 km of its high-density rail network in a bid to boost train capacity and reduce congestion on key routes. This infrastructure push is crucial for improving the movement of both passenger and freight trains, and will strengthen capacity on some of the busiest corridors. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the significance of these seven high-density routes, which encompass nearly 11,000 km but handle 41% of total railway traffic despite covering only 16% of the network.

The routes include high-traffic links such as Delhi-Howrah, Howrah-Chennai, Chennai-Mumbai, Mumbai-Delhi, and Delhi-Chennai. Vaishnaw stressed the environmental and economic advantages of rail transport, and highlighted that expanding railway lines would allow for greater flexibility in train operations and alleviate pressure on existing tracks.

The four-laning project is part of Indian Railways' broader strategy to accommodate increasing passenger and freight demand. Additionally, Kavach 4.0, India's indigenously developed automatic train protection system, has been extended to cover 2,490 route km across the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah corridors. This system boasts enhanced train location accuracy, improved signal information, and seamless integration with the existing Electronic Interlocking System.