Railways has a plan to reduce congestion

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed plans to increase railway capacity on seven of India's busiest routes, transforming them into four-line corridors. These high-density routes, spanning nearly 11,000 km, handle around 41% of the country's total railway traffic, despite making up only about 16% of the overall network.

The expansion aims to meet the growing demand for passenger and freight movement, as well as strengthen the capacity of some of India's most heavily used rail corridors. Indian Railways has identified the following seven routes for the four-laning programme: Delhi-Howrah, Howrah-Chennai, Chennai-Mumbai, Mumbai-Delhi, Delhi-Chennai, Mumbai-Howrah, and Delhi-Guwahati.

The expansion is expected to improve the efficiency of trains on these routes with high demand, allowing them to operate more smoothly without relying solely on existing infrastructure. Railway Minister Vaishnaw emphasized the broader economic and environmental benefits of rail transport, noting that railways can move large numbers of passengers and substantial quantities of freight over long distances, making them crucial for India's development of more efficient and cleaner transport systems.

The four-laning of these seven high-density corridors is part of a broader plan to prepare India's railway infrastructure for future demand, supporting capacity enhancement, lower transportation costs, and cleaner mobility.