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

Indian Railways aims to widen around 11,000 kilometers of its high-density rail network in a bid to increase train capacity and alleviate congestion on crucial routes. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the significance of seven such routes that handle a substantial portion of the country's total rail traffic. Collectively, these routes span nearly 11,000 kilometers but handle about 41% of total railway traffic, despite constituting only 16% of the railway network.

The seven high-density routes are: Delhi-Howrah, Howrah-Chennai, Chennai-Mumbai, Mumbai-Delhi, Delhi-Chennai, Mumbai-Howrah, and Delhi-Guwahati. According to the national transporter, expanding the high-density network is crucial for corridors with heavy traffic between major cities and regions, allowing trains to operate with greater flexibility and reducing strain on existing tracks.

As part of India's broader strategy to enhance network capacity, the Railway Minister also highlighted the rollout of Kavach 4.0, an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system covering 2,490 kilometers across the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah corridors. Kavach 4.0 boasts improved train location accuracy, enhanced signal information in large yards, and direct integration with the existing Electronic Interlocking System.