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The Government of India has ventured into a transformative journey to enhance the country’s infrastructure landscape, aiming to augment connectivity, strengthen economic growth, and improve the quality of life for its citizens through seamless movement of goods and services. Indian Railways, an integral part of the infrastructure growth story of India is often recognized as the lifeline of the nation. It operates on an immense scale, moving a staggering 8.1 billion passengers and 1.5 billion tons of freight annually across the vast expanse of the nation.
Acknowledging its crucial role in shaping the nation’s infrastructure and economy, Indian Railways has embarked on a journey towards modernization, heralding an era of advanced technology, upgraded stations, and enhanced services. In 2023, Indian Railways marked remarkable progress in its modernization journey, as evidenced by a slew of records and achievements. The year saw a notable increase in originating freight loading, reaching 1,512 million tonnes, representing a significant 7% growth over the previous year. This success was complemented by a substantial rise in revenue, with Indian Railways earning an impressive USD 19.2 billion from freight alone. Passenger patronage surged by over 80%, reaching 6.2 billion in FY 2022-23 compared to 3.4 billion in FY 2021-22. Moreover, the Gross Budgetary Support soared to USD 28.7 billion for the fiscal year 2023-24, marking a thirty-fold increase over 2004-05 levels and an eight-fold increase over 2013-14.
Infrastructure and Technological Advancements
The electrification of rail routes has progressed commendably, and the deployment of innovative technologies like Kavach for safety enhancements on key corridors, along with the introduction of more than 100 Vande Bharat train services (as of January 2024), with an impressive overall occupancy rate of 96.62% during 2022-23, showcases Indian Railways’ commitment to modernization. Additionally, the Amrit Bharat scheme has identified 1,309 stations for redevelopment, with three stations already redeveloped to significantly enhance passenger amenities. Foundation stones for more than 500 stations have been laid in 2023 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. This progress is fueled by substantial capital expenditure, with the highest-ever utilization rate of 75% recorded in the first nine months of FY 2023.
National Rail Plan – 2030
At the core of Indian Railways’ modernization efforts lies the National Rail Plan – 2030, a comprehensive roadmap aimed at building a future-ready rail system. The plan prioritizes capacity augmentation, the creation of world-class passenger facilities, safety enhancement, and reducing carbon emissions, aligning with India’s broader goals of sustainable development.
Freight Transportation and Logistics Reforms
To bolster India’s global competitiveness and improve the ease of living for its citizens, the government is committed to reducing the cost of logistics to a single-digit percentage of GDP. Indian Railways plays a pivotal role in achieving this target by aiming to increase its modal share in freight transportation from 27% to 45% by 2030. This endeavor includes infrastructure development, such as the creation of Dedicated Freight Corridors, policy reforms to attract freight from non-traditional sources, and the induction of a significant number of wagons to meet growing demand. Notably, in 2021, India’s leadership flagged off the world’s first Double Stack Long Haul 1.5 km long Container Train hauled by electric traction.
The current budget highlights the implementation of three major economic railway corridor programs: energy, mineral, and cement corridors; port connectivity corridors; and high traffic density corridors. Through these three corridors, about 40,000 km of new tracks will be laid, significantly increasing railway capacity and reducing pollution as railways can save up to 90% of CO2 emissions in a cost-effective manner. This will bring a major transformation to the country’s economy in an efficient, productive, and sustainable manner.
Passenger Travel Experience
In addition to freight transportation, Indian Railways is enhancing passenger travel by upgrading tracks and introducing semi-high-speed trains. The ambitious bullet train project, currently under implementation between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, promises to revolutionize travel with a substantial reduction in travel time. Additionally, marquee railway stations are undergoing redevelopment into hubs for transit-oriented development, offering world-class amenities and generating non-fare box revenue through innovative financing models. Amrit Bharat Stations Redevelopment Plan will incorporate leading facilities management companies/operators, to play a vital role in running the stations like airports/international ToD/city centre kind of establishments and provide best in class facilities/ amenities to the passengers.
Over the past decade, 6,108 railway stations across the nation have started offering free high-speed Wi-Fi facilities for passengers, and integrated CCTVs have been installed across 743 major railway stations for enhanced security. New Amrit Bharat Trains for passenger convenience are being launched. The Amrit Bharat train, an LHB push-pull train, has locos at both ends for better acceleration and provides improved facilities like beautifully designed seats, better luggage racks, mobile charging points with suitable mobile holders, LED lights, CCTV, and public information systems. On the other hand, Vande Bharat trains represent a significant advancement in India’s railway infrastructure, boasting enhanced safety features, faster acceleration, and improved passenger amenities.
Equipped with Automatic Plug Doors, Reclining Ergonomic Seats, and Mobile charging sockets for every seat, these trains offer a comfortable and convenient travel experience.
Safety and Sustainability
Safety remains a top priority for Indian Railways, as demonstrated by the elimination of unmanned level crossings and the adoption of modern signaling systems. Furthermore, during the COVID-19 crisis, Indian Railways showcased its resilience by serving as a lifeline to the nation, facilitating the transportation of essential goods and migrant workers while repurposing infrastructure for medical purposes.
Towards a Green Future
To capture the environmental and economic benefits of electric traction, Indian Railways plans to achieve 100% electrification of its broad-gauge routes by 2024. With more than 94% of the route electrified, 100% electrification is expected to result in annual energy savings of around USD 1.55 billion. Indian Railways aims to become a ‘net-zero carbon emitter’ by 2030 by generating energy through renewable sources. It plans to set up 20 GW capacity solar power plants on its land to power its network and infrastructure. In this regard, over 1,000 railway stations have already been solarised.
Several initiatives to reduce carbon emissions have been taken, including using energy-efficient technologies like completely switching to the production of three-phase electric locomotives with regenerative features, Head on Generation (HOG) technology, LED lights in buildings and coaches, star-rated appliances, and afforestation. India also earned the distinction of being the world’s first nation to achieve the conversion of a diesel locomotive to an electric one.
Conclusion
Indian Railways’ journey towards modernization and efficiency represents a paradigm shift in how transportation infrastructure is designed and implemented. With a relentless focus on innovation, sustainability, and customer-centricity, Indian Railways is poised to not only meet the evolving needs of ‘New India’ but also emerge as a global benchmark in transportation. As the nation progresses towards its aspirations, Indian Railways stands as a beacon of progress, connecting millions and driving the nation towards a brighter future.