Overview
- The Railway Board issued an official directive on December 26 directing zones to file specific proposals with clear timelines and outcomes to expand train-handling capacity.
- Works outlined include adding platforms, stabling and pit lines, improving shunting, creating new urban terminals, building mega coaching complexes, and boosting sectional throughput via signalling upgrades and multitracking.
- Capacity gains will be phased, with actions grouped as immediate, short-term, and long-term so benefits begin accruing within five years ahead of the 2030 target.
- Plans must address both suburban and non-suburban operations and remove bottlenecks across stations, yards, and sections, with balanced development of nearby stations exemplified by Pune’s Hadapsar, Khadki, and Alandi.
- The published list covers 48 urban centers including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Patna, Lucknow, Pune, Jaipur, Varanasi, and others, with Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw framing the push as a response to sustained travel demand.