Indian Railways is advancing infrastructure upgrades on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah corridors to support 160 kmph train speeds. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the sanctioning of speed enhancements and multi-tracking works across thousands of kilometers. Alongside the progress on Dedicated Freight Corridors and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, these developments aim to boost rail efficiency, freight capacity, and passenger convenience.
Railway Speeds and Tracks Upgraded Across Key Corridors: Delhi-Mumbai & Delhi-Howrah
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined major ongoing upgrades across India’s busiest rail routes, aimed at increasing train speeds to 160 kmph and expanding capacity through additional tracks.
Delhi-Mumbai Corridor (1,386 km): Fast Progress in Speed and Track Expansion
- Speed Upgrade: Work to enhance sectional speed to 160 kmph is in advanced stages.
- Track Expansion:
- Currently, 196 km has four rail lines.
- Third and fourth lines under construction on the Dahanu Road–Virar stretch (64 km).
- Survey sanctioned for additional third and fourth lines over 1,126 km.
Western DFC & Bullet Train Project
- Western Dedicated Freight Corridor:
- 1,404 km commissioned
- Final 102 km segment under development.
- Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (Bullet Train):
- 508 km project in progress, a key part of India’s future-ready infrastructure.
Delhi-Howrah Corridor (1,450 km): Capacity Boost Underway
- Track Configuration:
- 194 km – Four lines
- 312 km – Triple-lined
- 944 km – Double-lined
- Projects Under Execution:
- 375 km multi-tracking from Son Nagar to Andal
- 18 km third line: Aligarh to Daud Khan
- 150 km third line: Mughalsarai to Allahabad
- 18 km fifth line: Kalipahari to Bakhtarnagar
- 43 km fourth line: Saktigarh to Chandanpur
- 9.42 km extension: Nimcha up avoiding line
- Sanctioned Surveys:
- 480 km for third lines
- 96 km for fourth lines
- 151 km for fifth lines
Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (1,337 km): Fully Commissioned
India’s rail modernization mission is on track with full commissioning of the Eastern DFC, enhancing goods transport and easing passenger congestion on primary corridors.
These upgrades are a critical part of India’s rail transformation, paving the way for faster, safer, and more efficient travel and freight movement across the nation.
