Indian Railways approves major projects to boost capacity and safety

Indian Railways has approved a comprehensive set of major rail infrastructure projects aimed at eliminating congestion, enhancing line capacity, improving safety systems and enabling faster, more reliable passenger and freight movement across the country. The approvals cover projects across Southern Railway, Northern Railway, and South Eastern Railway, including line doubling, third and fourth lines, bypass corridors, and the installation of advanced electronic interlocking systems.

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South Eastern Railway: Jharkhand Corridor Expansion

Among the key projects is the Barbenda-Damrughutu doubling and the Damrughutu-Bokaro Steel City third and fourth line project in Jharkhand under South Eastern Railway. This capacity expansion is a critical component of India's Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor. At present, the line is operating at 108 per cent utilisation, with train detention ranging between 90 and 150 minutes. The route handles 78 trains daily, including 38 passenger and 40 freight services, and supports a freight throughput of 35.22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). Without augmentation, utilisation was projected to rise to 132 per cent by 2028-29. The project strengthens connectivity to key industrial and energy hubs, including Central Coalfields, cement and steel plants, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) Depot, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) Depot, and the Bokaro Steel City industrial ecosystem. By enhancing capacity, the expansion will directly improve energy logistics, industrial output, and the efficiency of national supply chains.

Northern Railway: Safety and Efficiency Upgrades

Enhanced Safety with Electronic Interlocking

To further enhance safety and operational efficiency, Indian Railways has also approved the implementation of Electronic Interlocking (EI) at 34 stations across Northern Railway routes where the Kavach train protection system is being rolled out. This includes 21 stations in the Delhi Division at a cost of Rs 292.24 crore and 13 stations in the Ambala Division at a cost of Rs 129.17 crore. These upgrades will enable faster and safer train operations, improve the reliability of signalling systems, support higher train frequencies on high-density routes, and complement modern train protection systems.

Rajpura Bypass to Streamline Freight

The approval of the Rajpura Bypass Line will significantly enhance capacity and operational efficiency on the Ambala-Jalandhar section, one of the busiest corridors on Northern Railway. The project will provide direct rail connectivity between the New Shambhu Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) station and the Kauli station on the Rajpura-Bathinda line, enabling freight trains to bypass the congested Rajpura Yard. This will streamline freight movement, ease pressure on existing lines, and support the projected rise in traffic demand, while ensuring smoother integration with the DFC and more reliable passenger and freight operations across the region.

Southern Railway: Decongestion and Capacity Boost

Ernakulam-Kayankulam Route Upgrade

This strategically important project removes a critical single-line constraint on the Ernakulam-Turavur-Kayankulam route. Once completed, it will enable nine additional passenger trains per day in each direction, add 2.88 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of freight capacity, and generate an additional Rs 3.23 crore in annual earnings. The project will significantly improve operational efficiency by reducing detention for both passenger and freight trains. Addressing the last remaining single-line stretch on this corridor ensures smoother, uninterrupted train movement, enhancing travel reliability for long-distance passengers and strengthening inter-State freight flows within Kerala, while decongesting major junctions for faster, seamless travel.

Palakkad Bypass Project

The Palakkad bypass project provides immediate operational and passenger benefits by eliminating engine reversal at Palakkad Junction in Kerala for multiple train services. It reduces the average detention of passenger trains by 40-44 minutes and cuts freight detention by up to 120 minutes per train, while also supporting additional passenger services planned from Palakkad Junction. By streamlining train movements, the bypass will significantly improve punctuality on routes connecting Shoranur, Thiruvananthapuram, and Pollachi, while easing congestion at one of Southern Railway's busiest junctions.

Irugur-Podanur Section Doubling in Tamil Nadu

One of the most significant developments for Tamil Nadu is the approval of doubling the Irugur-Podanur section, a crucial link on the Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram corridor. This project will allow the operation of 15 additional passenger trains per day and increase freight capacity by 3.12 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), with annual net earnings expected to rise by Rs 11.77 crore. Currently, line capacity utilisation stands at 60 per cent, but with this expansion, it is projected to reach 131 per cent by 2027-28, highlighting the urgency and strategic importance of the project. With multiple quadruplication projects already completed or underway on adjoining stretches, the doubling of this section will ensure that the entire Chennai-Coimbatore-Podanur belt transforms into a high-capacity, four-line corridor. This will directly benefit industrial hubs such as Coimbatore, improve terminal operations at Podanur, and support new train services to northern destinations.

These approvals reaffirm that Indian Railways remains fully prepared to deliver world-class rail infrastructure at scale. With timely cooperation from State Governments, these projects will translate into faster journeys, higher freight efficiency, improved safety, and sustained economic growth.