About DFCCIL/Railways (2025) by Saurabh Kr Pandey

DFC & DFCCIL (under Ministry of railways)

Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd. (DFCCIL) has been given
a mandate to construct, maintain & operate Dedicated Rail Freight Corridors
across the country. To begin with, the Government has entrusted DFCCIL with
construction, maintenance and operation of Eastern Corridor between Sanehwal
near Ludhiana to Dankuni in West Bengal & Western Corridor connecting Dadri
in Uttar Pradesh to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Mumbai.
Brief History:
Minister for Railways, made the historic announcement of creation of DFCs in
the Parliament while presenting the Railway Budget for 2005-06. In April 2005,
the Project was discussed at the Japan-India Summit Meeting. It was included in
the declaration of co-operation signed between India and Japan for a feasibility
study and possible funding of the dedicated rail freight corridors by Japanese
Government. The feasibility study report was submitted to Ministry of Railways
in October 2007. In the meanwhile, Ministry of Railways initiated action to
establish a Special Purpose Vehicle for construction, operation, and maintenance
of the dedicated freight corridors. This led to the establishment of Dedicated
Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL), to undertake planning
& development, mobilization of financial resources, construction, operation &
maintenance, and business development of the dedicated freight
corridors. DFCCIL was incorporated as a schedule A company under the
Company’s Act 1956 on 30th October 2006.
The Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) is the most ambitious and biggest project
ever undertaken in the railway infrastructure sector in the country. With the
Dedicated Freight Corridors, the Indian Railways aim to bring about a paradigm
shift in freight operation with prime objective of reduction in unit cost of
transportation with higher speed of freight trains. The ultimate objective is to
reduce the Operation and Maintenance Cost (O&M Cost) significantly and the
benefit is passed on to the customer in the form of lower transport Logistics
Cost.
Motto:- Sincerity, Speed and Success
Vision:- To create a partnership with Indian Railways for retaining and
expanding the market share of rail through efficient and reliable service with
customer focus.
Mission:- As the dedicated agency to make the vision into reality, DFCCIL’s
mission is
i. To build a corridor with appropriate technology that enables Indian
Railways to regain its market share of freight transport by creating
additional capacity and guaranteeing efficient, reliable, safe and
cheaper options for mobility to its customers.
ii. To support the Government’s initiatives toward ecological
sustainability by encouraging users to adopt Railways as the most
environment friendly mode for their transport requirements.
Objectives:
The main objectives of DFCCIL are:
(a) Project Delivery: To construct the dedicated freight corridor network to the
highest quality standards, within the budgeted timelines and costs.
(b) Operation and Maintenance:
(i) Additional line Capacity: To make additional line capacity available to
Indian Railways for running freight trains and assure safe and reliable train
operations.
(ii) Reduction in cost of operations: Achieve significant reduction in the cost
of operations by adopting international best practices including long haul/heavy
haul operations.
Need of Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC):
The Golden Quadrilateral and its diagonals constituting 10122 Km is, in fact,
back bone of the Indian Railways because this is contributing more than 60 %
of the freight traffic and 52 % of the passenger traffic carried by Railways.
These routes serve the core sectors of the Indian economy by carrying raw
materials to the plants and finished products to centres of consumption,
manufacturing and trade. If this DFC is not made then the achieving of the
projected GDP growth would not be possible.
The Indian Railways' Golden quadrilateral linking the four metropolitan cities
of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Howrah, and its two diagonals (Delhi-Chennai
and Mumbai-Howrah) comprises of 16% of the route but carry more than 52%
of the passenger traffic and 58% of revenue earning freight traffic of Indian
Railways. This trunk route is highly saturated with line capacity utilization
varying between 115% to 150%.
Over the year, Railways lost the share in freight traffic from 88% in 1950-51 to
26% in 2021-22. Not only this, the National highways along these corridors
comprising 0.5% of the road network carried almost 40% of the road freight.
Why Eastern and Western Corridor?

The existing trunk routes of Howrah-Delhi on the Eastern Corridor and

Mumbai-Delhi on the Western Corridor are highly saturated, line capacity
utilization varying between115% to150%, and is also primarily passenger
service dominated routes. These also represent high demand freight traffic
corridors between the Eastern coal belt of Sonnagar-Garhwa Road-Patratu area
with the existing and upcoming Thermal Power Houses in the northern region
of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan; and the ports of Maharashtra
and Gujarat like Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai Port, Kandla, Mundra, Pipavav
etc. the container hubs at one end and the NCR of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab in
the northern region on the other.
The surging domestic economy, booming infrastructure construction and
growing international trade led to the conception of the Dedicated Freight
Corridors along the Eastern and Western arms of Golden Quadrilateral.
Project Funding for Corridors
The cost estimate of Rs, 81,459 Cr. for Eastern & Western DFC including land
cost has been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in June,
2015. This comprises of construction cost of Rs. 73,392 Cr. and land cost of Rs.
8067 Cr. The cost for the project was funded by a combination of debt from
multilateral agencies (JICA & World Bank) and equity from Ministry of
Railways.

Green Impact:
DFCCIL will decongest already saturated road network & promote shifting of
freight transport to more efficient rail transport. This shift is expected to offer
significant reduction of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in transport sector
in India. It is expected that DFC will save more than 450 million ton of CO2 in
first 30 years of operation.
Office Locations:
DFCCIL will consist of Corporate Headquarters at NOIDA, Eastern and
Western Corridor Headquarters at Allahabad and Ahmedabad respectively.
Present MD of DFCCIL: Shri Praveen Kumar
Golden Quadrilateral

The Golden Quadrilateral is a network of four national highways in India that

connect the four major metro cities of
Delhi (north), Kolkata (east), Mumbai (west) and Chennai (south) in a
quadrilateral (four-sided) configuration. It is one of the most important road
projects in India, and it has played a significant role in the country's economic
development. This is the longest highway project in the country and the 5th
longest in the world. The total length of the Golden Quadrilateral is about 5,846
km (3,633 mi). The project was launched in 1999 by then prime minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation stone and completed in 2012.
The project was part of the 1st phase of the National Highways Development
Project executed by the Government. The roads were constructed and are
maintained by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) under the
purview of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The road system
consists of access controlled 4 or 6-lane highways, built at a cost of ₹324.9 bn.
Here are the four arms of the Golden Quadrilateral and their distances.
Delhi–Kolkata: 1,453 km
Chennai–Mumbai: 1,290 km
Kolkata–Chennai: 1,684 km
Mumbai–Delhi: 1,419 km
The route starts from Delhi and goes north to NH 1 until it reaches Agra. It then
turns south on NH 2 until it reaches Kolkata. From Kolkata, it takes NH 6 to
Chennai. Finally, from Chennai, it travels west on NH 4 until it reaches
Mumbai, and then north on NH 8 to complete the quadrilateral back to Delhi.
Benefits for the country:
 Provides faster transport networks between major cities and ports
 Provides connectivity to major agricultural, industrial, and cultural centres
 Provides smoother movement of goods and people within the country
 Enables industrial development and job creation in smaller towns through
access to varied markets
 Farmers are able to transport their produce to major cities and towns for sale
and export, and there is less wastage and spoils.
 More economic growth through construction and indirect demand for steel,
cement, and other construction materials
 Giving an impetus to Truck transport throughout India.
 Reduced wastage for the agriculture sector, and a decrease in vehicle
operating costs and time.
Note:-The Indian government is planning to expand the Golden Quadrilateral
by adding additional lanes and improving safety features. The government is
also working on developing new east-west corridors to connect the Golden
Quadrilateral with other parts of the country.
Western Corridor:
Western Dedicated Freight Corridor or Western DFC comprising of 1504 km of
a double line electrified track from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (Navi
Mumbai) to Dadri (Uttar Pradesh) via Vadodara-Sanand-Palanpur-Phulera-
Rewari. The new line portion of DFC is designed to connect with existing New
Delhi - Mathura line at Asaoti railway station from Pirthala station of DFC.
Moreover, the Western DFC is proposed to join Eastern Corridor near Dadri.
The corridor is being built by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of
India Limited (DFCCIL), a public-sector unit (PSU) under the Ministry of
Railways.
Western DFC Length State wise
Haryana 191
Rajasthan 561 (highest)
Gujarat 552
Maharashtra 183
Uttar Pradesh 17
Total 1504 km
The traffic on the Western Corridor mainly comprises of containers from JNPT
and Mumbai Port in Maharashtra and ports of Pipavav, Mundra and Kandla in
Gujarat destined for locations in northern India, especially at Tughlakabad,
Dadri and Dandharikalan. Besides Containers, other commodities moving on
the Western DFC are POL (Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants), Fertilizers, Food
grains, Salt, Coal, Iron & Steel and Cement.
Note:-The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (Eastern DFC) has a 46 km long
branch line, that connects Khurja in Bulandshahr district on Eastern DFC
with Dadri in Gautam Buddha Nagar district on the Western DFC. Meerut is
proposed as the largest Logistic Hub on the EDFC due to its nodal connectivity
via several expressways. The Western DFC, along with the Delhi–Mumbai
Expressway, will be a vital backbone of the Delhi–Mumbai Industrial
Corridor (DMIC).
Eastern Corridor:
Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor or Eastern DFC is a broad gauge freight
corridor and it runs between Ludhiana in Punjab and Dankuni (near Kolkata)
in West Bengal via Meerut and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. This railway line is
one of the multiple freight corridors being constructed by the Dedicated Freight
Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL).
The Eastern Corridor with a route length of 1861 km, consist of the following
distinct segments:
i. An electrified single line segment of 401 km between Ludhiana and
Khurja.
ii. An electrified double line segment of 46km between Khurja and
Dadri.
iii. An electrified double line segment of 351km between Khurja and
Kanpur
 iv. An electrified double line segment of 402 km between Kanpur and
Mughalsarai
v. An electrified double line segment of 126 km between Mughalsarai
and Sonnagar.
vi. An electrified double line segment of 535km between Sonnagar to
Dankuni.

Eastern DFC Length (1861 KMs)

States KMs
Punjab 88
Haryana 72
Uttar Pradesh 1063 (highest)
Bihar 239
Jharkhand 196
West Bengal 203
Total 1861
Due to non-availability of space along the existing corridor particularly near
important city centres and industrial townships, the alignment of the corridor
will take detour at several locations. Since the origin and destination of sizable
volume of traffic do not necessarily fall on the DFC, a number of junction
arrangements have been planned to transfer traffic from the existing Indian
Railway corridor to the DFC and vice versa.
The traffic on the Eastern Corridor mainly comprises of coal for the power
plants in the northern region of U.P, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and parts of
Rajasthan from the coal fields situated in Eastern part of the country, finished
steel, food grains, cement, fertilizers, lime stone to steel plants & general goods.
Future DFC Corridors
The following three future corridors have been proposed:-

1. East Coast Corridor :-

The proposed corridor stretching 1080 km traverses through three states of
India, namely West Bengal, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh. Mostly runs parallel to
the existing Kharagpur-Vijayawada coastal railway line. It also passes over
three zonal railways, namely South Eastern, East Coast and South-Central
Railway.
2. East West Corridor :-
The proposed East-West DFC (EWDFC) from Bhusaval to Dankuni including
spur line from Rajkharswan to Andal passes through five states namely West
Bangal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra. The length of the
mainline is 1551 RKM and the length of the spur line is 187 RKM (Total: 1738
RKM). This corridor has further been extended from Bhusaval to Palghar.
[Link]-South Corridor :-
The proposed North-South DFC (NSDFC) from Itarsi-Nagpur-Vijayawada
passes through four states namely Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana,
and Andhra Pradesh. The length of this route is 890 RKM. Railway Board has
further extended this corridor from Vijayawada to Nidubrolu.
These areas surrounding the route are endowed with natural resources such as
coal and other minerals, steel plants in adjoining areas, Industrial hubs like
Cement Plants, Thermal Power Stations, Logistic Parks which generate heavy
freight along the North-South Sub corridor route.
Some Facts:
 18th Railway zone: Southern Coast Railway (H.Q:-Visakhapatnam,
Andhra Pradesh)
 First woman Chairperson of the Railway Board: Jaya Verma Sinha
 Present Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Railway Board:
Shri. Satish Kumar
 First Rail Minister: John Mathai (1947-48)
 First Woman Rail Minister: Mamta Banerjee (1999-2001)
 Current Minister of Railways: Ashwini Vaishnaw
 The first steam train carrying passengers on a public railway: Stockton
and Darlington Railway in England in 1825
 The first passenger train in India (at the time of Governor General
Dalhousie):1853, between Bombay and Thane
 First electric passenger train: The Siemens locomotive of 1879 at Berlin
(Germany)
 First electric train in India: between Bombay & Kurla Harbour in 1925
 Longest train route in the world: Trans-Siberian Railway (9289 km),
from Moscow to Vladivostok
 Longest train route in India: Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari (Vivek Express,
4189 km)
 Longest railway tunnel in the world: Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland
(57.09km), Passes through the Alps mountain
 Longest Rail Tunnel in India: Banihal-Qazigund Railway Tunnel or Pir
Panjal railway tunnel (11.215 km) located in Pir Panjal Range of J & K. It
is a part of the Jammu–Baramulla line.
 Another India’s longest rail tunnel work is under construction in between
Devprayag and Janasu in Uttarakhand. It is around 14.57-km tunnel on
the 125-km Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Link Project.
 World's longest railway platform: Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi
Junction (1507 m, Karnataka)
 World's second longest railway platform: Gorakhpur Junction (1366m)
 India's first privately managed railway station: Rani Kamalapati Railway
Station, formerly known as Habibganj Station (Bhopal). It was
redeveloped under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Some Facts:
 The world's first solar-powered train was launched in December
2017 by the Byron Bay Railroad Company in Australia.
 India’s first ‘private’ train launched in 2019: Tejas Express between
Lucknow and New Delhi
 On July 14, 2017, Indian Railways launched first solar-powered DEMU
(diesel electrical multiple unit) train from the Safdarjung railway station
in Delhi. The train will run from Sarai Rohilla in Delhi to Farukh Nagar
in Haryana.
 The first fully solar-powered railway station in India: Guwahati Station
 India's first CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) train was the Rohtak-
Rewari DEMU, which was flagged off on January 14, 2015. This train
operates on a dual fuel system, utilizing both CNG and diesel, and was
introduced to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and diesel consumption.
 World highest Rail Bridge: In June 2025, PM Modi has inaugurated the
world's highest single- arch railway bridge built over the Chenab River in
Reasi district (J & K). The bridge is situated at a height of 359 metres
above the river, 35 metres (114 feet) higher than the iconic Eiffel Tower
in Paris. It was completed at a cost of ₹1,486 crore in more than eight
years. The bridge forms a crucial link in the 111-km stretch from Katra to
Banihal & it is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link
project. The term "single-arch bridge" typically refers to a bridge with a
single, continuous arch spanning between two supports.

G Madhavi Latha, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in

Bengaluru, is one of the major contributors to the successful construction of the
Chenab Bridge - in Jammu and Kashmir.
  Anji Khad Bridge (located south of the Chenab Bridge): Inaugurated by
PM Modi in June 2025

It is the country's "first cable-stayed bridge" of Indian Railways connecting

Katra and Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir. The Anji Khad bridge spans the
Anji River, a tributary of the Chenab River. The bridge is a part of a 326-km
rail line connecting Udhampur to Baramulla via Srinagar, a crucial rail link
between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India. It is the second-highest
railway bridge after the iconic arch bridge over the Chenab at nearby Kauri.
The total length of the bridge is 725 metres. The Anji bridge is built to
handle extreme weather conditions and wind speeds of up to 213 km/h -
nearly as much as a cyclone. It's been designed to support trains travelling at
speeds of up to 100 km/[Link] project was commissioned by the Northern
Railways and is being executed by Konkan Railway Corporation Limited
(KRCL) and Hindustan Construction Company.
Note:- During the visit, PM Modi flagged off new Vande Bharat trains
connecting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar.
 India’s fastest train: Vande Bharat Express (or Train 18) runs at 180
km/hr. The trainset was designed and manufactured by Integral Coach
Factory in Chennai. The first Vande Bharat Express train was flagged off
on February 15, 2019, on the New Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi
route, running at a speed of 160 kmph.
 Indian Railways is set to revolutionize long-distance travel with the
Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Set, a state-of-the-art addition to the
country's fastest-growing fleet. The dream of a world-class, high-speed
sleeper train is now a reality as the first 16-car Vande Bharat Sleeper
Train Set has successfully completed rigorous trials by the Research
Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) on 15th January 2025 for 540
km distance in Mumbai- Ahmedabad section. Integral Coach Factory,
Chennai completed manufacturing of India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper
Train set last year on December 17. Within a fortnight the train was
 brought to Kota division and was successfully tested for short distances
of 30 to 40 kilometres for three days in a row in the first week of last
month, where it achieved comfortable travel experience at a high speed of
180 km per hour. After the successful trial of the prototype, the
production of nine more Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Sets is scheduled
between April and December 2025.
 Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya Formerly National Rail and Transportation
Institute is located at Vadodara
 In Dec 2024, India’s first hyperloop test track of 410 m has been
completed at the Discovery Campus of the Indian Institute of Technology,
Madras, at Thaiyur. The track is all set to host the global, college level
hyperloop competition to be held in February 2025. This 410-meter-long
Hyperloop test tube located at IIT Chennai is the longest Hyperloop test
facility in Asia. The hyperloop project is a joint initiative of Indian
Railways, IIT-Madras’ Avishkar Hyperloop team and TuTr (startup).
Hyperloop involves an electromagnetically levitating (Maglev) pod in a
vacuum tube, eliminating friction and air drag, potentially allowing the
pod to reach high speeds of over 400 kmph.
 Asia’s first international hyperloop competition got under way at
Discovery, the satellite campus of the Indian Institute of Technology-
Madras (IIT-M) at Thaiyur. The competition on the future of high-speed
travel, being held till February 25, comprises 10 teams. It will involve
participation of around 150 industry delegates from across the world,
representing sectors such as mobility, research and hyperloop. The global
hyperloop competition (GHC) 2025 is aimed at uniting global talent,
industry leaders and researchers; fostering collaboration and innovation;
and bringing forth a real-world implementation of the hyperloop
technology.
 Mission 3000: Indian Railways is striving to enhance its freight loading
capabilities under the ambitious Mission 3000 plan. This initiative aims
to achieve a cargo volume of 3,000 million tonnes (MT) by 2030. The
ministry anticipates increases in freight volumes through various
infrastructure projects. Indian Railways is projected to surpass 1,600 MT
of cargo for the first time this financial year. However, it needs to nearly
double its output within five years to meet the Mission 3000 target.
 India's 1st hydrogen train to run between Jind & Sonipat:
Recently, India has commenced trial runs of its first hydrogen-powered train on
the 89-km Jind-Sonipat line in Haryana, boasting a world-leading 1200
horsepower engine and supporting its green transportation drive. Full
commercial deployment could be delayed to mid-2025 due to technical
adjustments, impacting plans to launch the train on Kalka-Shimla heritage route.
Manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, this hydrogen
powered train sets a new global benchmark. Unlike European hydrogen trains
capped at around 500–600 horsepower, India’s version hits a record-shattering
1,200 horsepower, making it the most powerful hydrogen train in the world. The
train comprises one passenger coach and two coaches for hydrogen storage,
operating at speeds of up to 110 km/h and carrying up to 2,638 passengers.
This leap in engine power and capacity is part of India’s wider “Hydrogen for
Heritage” program, which aims to green its rail infrastructure while preserving
cultural tourism. The Ministry of Railways has committed Rs 2,800 crore to
hydrogen fuel cell-based train development, with 35 trains planned.
Beyond clean transport rhetoric, India is betting big on hydrogen to hit its net
zero emissions goal by 2030. The hydrogen train initiative underscores the
government’s commitment to integrating decarbonization directly into public
infrastructure—especially where electrification may be too costly or
impractical. Once commercial service begins, these trains are expected to
significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions, supporting India’s pledge to
decarbonize its economy while upgrading its rail systems.
Note:- In Sep 2018, the world's first commercial hydrogen-powered passenger
train entered service in Germany. The Alstom-developed train named Coradia
iLint uses a hydrogen fuel cell which emits no carbon dioxide. The Coradia
iLint is the world's first regional passenger train to enter service equipped with
fuel cells to convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, thus eliminating
pollutant emissions related to propulsion. The complete train is quiet, and its
only emission is water
 New Pamban Bridge, India's First Vertical-Lift Sea Bridge:
PM Modi inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge - the country's first vertical-lift
sea bridge - in Tamil Nadu on 6th April 2025. Located in the Ramanathapuram
district, the bridge connects Rameswaram Island with Mandapam on the
mainland. It will replace a 110-year-old structure that once connected
Rameswaram to the Indian mainland. The new bridge is built 3 metres higher
than the old one, offering better sea clearance for maritime traffic. The new
bridge has a projected lifespan of 100 years.
PM Modi, who arrived in Tamil Nadu after a three-day visit to Sri Lanka, also
flagged off a Coast Guard ship - which passed under the bridge - and the new
Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) train. He also laid the foundation stone of
various rail and road projects worth over Rs 8,300 crore in the Tamil Nadu.
According to the Ministry of Railways, the 2.07-kilometer-long bridge,
spanning the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu, stands as a testament to India's
engineering prowess and visionary infrastructure development. It is built at a
cost of over Rs 700 crore by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) - a Navratna
PSU under the Ministry of Railways - the bridge features a 72.5-metre
navigational span that can be vertically lifted to 17 metres, allowing ships to
pass below safely. It is cleared for train speeds up to 80 kmph and is built to
handle increased rail traffic and heavier loads.
It has been constructed with special engineering techniques that reduce the need
for frequent maintenance, and uses stainless steel reinforcement, fully welded
joints, high-grade protective paint, and a polysiloxane coating to protect against
corrosion in the harsh marine environment. The Pamban Bridge is being
compared to famous ones like the Golden Gate Bridge in the USA, Tower
Bridge in the UK, and the Oresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden
because of its modern design and technology.
Note:-
The idea of linking India and Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, through the Adam’s
Bridge route was first explored in 1876. However, the plan was shelved due to
high costs. Eventually, a more feasible plan was approved in 1906: a railway
line from Madurai to Dhanushkodi via Rameswaram, and a steamer service
from Dhanushkodi to Sri Lanka.
The original Pamban Bridge, built in 1914 by British engineers, used a
manually operated Scherzer's span (a type of rolling lift bridge). It had a 61-
metre truss that lifted up to 81 degrees for ship movement. That bridge has been
shut to rail traffic due to safety [Link] Pamban bridge, India’s first sea
bridge, was an engineering marvel of its time. Standing 12.5 meters above sea
level, it stretched across 145 piers and featured a double-leaf bascule span—a
Scherzer rolling lift bridge—that opened for ships to pass through.
Ram Setu, also known as the Adams Bridge, is a chain of shoals linking India
and Sri Lanka. It stretches 48 km between Rameswaram Island, off the
southeast coast of India, connecting the Mannar Island in Sri Lanka. It separates
the Gulf of Mannar (south), an inlet of the Indian Ocean, from the Palk Strait
(north), an inlet of the Bay of Bengal.
 Mumbai-Dubai Underwater Train Project:
A proposed underwater rail link between Dubai and Mumbai could reduce
travel time to just two hours. The high-speed train is expected to run at speeds
between 600 km/h and 1,000 km/h, significantly improving connectivity
between the two cities. The proposed rail link aims to offer an alternative to air
travel while also facilitating the transport of goods, including crude oil, between
India and the UAE. If the project receives approval, the rail link could be
completed by 2030.
The initiative is seen as a move to enhance trade relations between India and the
UAE by providing a faster and more sustainable transport option. The project
requires an investment of billions of dollars due to its complexity.
 Kavach System:
It is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system.
Kavach was developed by the Research Design and Standards Organisation
(RDSO) under Indian Railway (IR) in collaboration with Medha Servo Drives
Pvt Ltd, HBL Power Systems Ltd and Kernex Microsystems.
It is a set of electronic devices and Radio Frequency Identification devices
installed in locomotives, in the signalling system as well the tracks, that talk to
each other using ultra-high radio frequencies to control the brakes of trains and
also alert drivers, all based on the logic programmed into them. Since 2016, the
railways have been carrying out field tests for Kavach on passenger trains.
It has been designed to assist locomotive pilots in avoiding Signal Passing at
Danger (SPAD) and overspeeding. The system can alert the loco pilot, take
control of the brakes and bring the train to a halt automatically when it notices
another train on the same line within a prescribed distance. The device also
continuously relays the signals ahead to the locomotive, making it useful for
loco pilots in low visibility such as dense fog.
Note:- Based on deployment of Kavach version 3.2 on 1465 Km on South
Central Railway, lot of experience was gained. Using that further improvements
were made. Finally, Kavach specification version 4.0 was approved by RDSO
on 16.07.2024. Kavach version 4.0 covers all the major features required for the
diverse railway network. This is a significant milestone in safety for Railways.
Major improvement in Version 4.0 includes increased Location Accuracy,
Improved Information of Signal Aspects in bigger yard, Station to Station
Kavach interface on OFC & Direct Interface to existing Electronic Interlocking
System. With these improvements, now large scale deployment has started.
Kavach has already been deployed on 1548 Km on South Central Railway and
North Central Railway. Presently, the work is in progress on Delhi– Mumbai &
Delhi– Howrah corridors (approximately 3000 Route km). Track side works on
these routes have been completed on about 1081 RKM (705 RKm on Delhi-
Mumbai section and 376 RKm on Delhi-Howrah section). Regular trials are
being done on these sections.
 Bullet train: The world's first bullet train was the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in
Japan, which began operations in 1964, connected the cities of Tokyo and
Osaka.
Bullet Train Project in India: The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail
Corridor is an under-construction high-speed rail line, which will
connect Mumbai & Ahmedabad (spanning across 508 km). When completed, it
will be India's first high-speed rail line, with a top speed of 320 km/h(200 mph).
The entire journey will be completed in about 2 hours 7 minutes.
The line is being developed by National High Speed Rail
Corporation (NHSRC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Indian Railways. The line
will use Shinkansen technology from Japan, including rolling stock, signalling
and design standards – with technology transfer to support the Make in
India programme.
After delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, construction commenced in
February 2021 when NHSRC began to pour concrete to cast the corridor's first
pillar. As of 2024, an initial section in Gujarat is expected to open by 2027, with
the full line to Mumbai in 2028.
Note:- National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL)
implementing this project was incorporated on 12th February 2016 under the
Companies Act, 2013 with an object to finance, construct, maintain and manage
the High Speed Rail Corridor in India. The Company has been modelled as
‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ in the joint sector with equity participation by Central
Government through Ministry of Railways and two State Governments viz.
Government of Gujarat and Government of Maharashtra.
The estimated cost of the project is INR 1,08,000 crore (USD 17 billion)
excluding taxes and being executed with Official Development Assistance
(ODA) Loan assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
About 81% of the total cost of the project will be funded by the Government of
Japan through JICA. The remaining project cost will be funded by Government
of India. According to the equity structure of the Special Purpose Vehicle, 50%
is held by the Government of India (GoI), through the Ministry of Railways,
and 25% each by the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of
Gujarat. The majority of approved funding for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet
Train project is from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
through an ODA loan. The tenure of the loan is 50 years with a moratorium of
15 years.
 Bogibeel Bridge: The Bogibeel bridge is India’s longest and Asia’s
second longest rail-cum road bridge. The 4,940m (or 4.94km) long bridge
situated on the Brahmaputra river (between Dhemaji
district and Dibrugarh district) is the country’s first fully welded steel
bridge with no joints. The bridge has been built at an estimated cost of Rs
5,900 crore. The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has supplied
around 35,400 metric tonnes of steel for the construction of this Bridge.
The Bogibeel bridge has a serviceable period of around 120 years. The
bridge reduces the travel time to four hours between two states
– Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
The bridge was constructed by a consortium of construction companies
headed by Hindustan Construction Company. It was inaugurated by PM
Modi on 25 December 2018 on the occasion of Good Governance Day.

 Meri Saheli: Indian Railways has launched “Meri Saheli” initiative for
focused action on security of women across all zones with an objective to
provide safety and security to lady passengers travelling by trains for
their entire journey from starting station to destination station.
It is an initiative of RPF, the Strategy of the entails interaction with lady
passengers especially those travelling alone by a team of young lady RPF
personnel at the originating station. These lady passengers are briefed
about all precautions to be taken during the journey and told to dial 182 in
case they face or see any problem in the coach.
 The “Meri Saheli” initiative was started as a pilot project in South Eastern
Railway in September 2020 and after getting encouraging response from
lady passengers, it was extended to all zones w.e.f. 17.10.2020. As on
2024, on an average, 230 teams are being deployed for this purpose
covering more than 400 trains on an average daily across Indian
Railways.
 Kolkata Metro Underwater Tunnel: PM Modi on 6th March, 2024
inaugurated the Kolkata Metro's Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section,
which passes below the Hooghly river through the country's first
underwater transportation tunnel. The 4.8-km Esplanade-Howrah Maidan
stretch, a part of the east-west corridor, has been built at a cost of ₹4,960
crore. It passes under the Hooghly river, on the east and west banks of
which Kolkata and Howrah are situated.
The stretch also has the deepest metro station in the country, the Howrah
Metro Station, at 32 metres below the ground. The length of the tunnel is
10.8 km and the breadth of the tunnel is 5.5 meters. A 520-meter portion
of the tunnel extends beneath the River Hooghly. It was in the year
2021 when the construction of the tunnel was completed by Kolkata
Metro Rail Corporation.
PM Gati Shakti:
Prime Minister launched PM Gati Shakti - National Master Plan for Multi-
modal Connectivity on 13th October 2021, essentially a digital platform to bring
16 Ministries including Railways and Roadways together for integrated
planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity
[Link] multi-modal connectivity will provide integrated and seamless
connectivity for movement of people, goods and services from one mode of
transport to another. It will facilitate the last mile connectivity of infrastructure
and also reduce travel time for people.
Vision of PM Gati Shakti:
PM Gati Shakti will incorporate the infrastructure schemes of various Ministries
and State Governments like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land
ports, UDAN etc. Economic Zones like textile clusters, pharmaceutical clusters,
defence corridors, electronic parks, industrial corridors, fishing clusters, agri
zones will be covered to improve connectivity & make Indian businesses more
competitive. It will also leverage technology extensively including spatial
planning tools with ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) imagery
developed by BiSAG-N (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space
Applications and Geoinformatics).
6 Pillars of PM Gati Shakti:
Comprehensiveness: It will include all the existing and planned initiatives of
various Ministries and Departments with one centralized portal. Each and every
Department will now have visibility of each other's activities providing critical
data while planning & execution of projects in a comprehensive manner.
Prioritization: Through this, different Departments will be able to prioritize
their projects through cross-sectoral interactions.
Optimization: The National Master Plan will assist different ministries in
planning for projects after identification of critical gaps. For the transportation
of the goods from one place to another, the plan will help in selecting the most
optimum route in terms of time and cost.
Synchronization: Individual Ministries and Departments often work in silos.
There is lack of coordination in planning and implementation of the project
resulting in delays. PM Gati Shakti will help in synchronizing the activities of
each department, as well as of different layers of governance, in a holistic
manner by ensuring coordination of work between them.
Analytical: The plan will provide the entire data at one place with GIS based
spatial planning and analytical tools having 200+ layers, enabling better
visibility to the executing agency
Dynamic: All Ministries and Departments will now be able to visualize, review
and monitor the progress of cross-sectoral projects, through the GIS platform, as
the satellite imagery will give on-ground progress periodically and progress of
the projects will be updated on a regular basis on the portal. It will help in
identifying the vital interventions for enhancing and updating the master plan.
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala Project was launched in 2015 by the Government of India as an
infrastructure initiative that aims to revolutionise India’s coastal infrastructure,
improving port connectivity and boosting maritime trade. The project creates an
integrated network of ports, waterways and infrastructure that supports India in
becoming a global maritime hub. It is the flagship programme of the Ministry of
Ports, Shipping and Waterways to promote port-led development in the country.
Some of the recent developments of Sagarmala Project includes:
 Launching the Sagarmala Project in Andhra Pradesh: The Ministry of
Ports, Shipping and Waterways announced the identifications of 100
Sagarmala Projects in Andhra Pradesh in January 2024. This project will
strengthen port infrastructure, storage and logistics and improve the
economic growth in the state.
 By 2023, the Sagarmala Project completed 1,537 projects. This
achievement underscored the government’s commitment to improve port
infrastructure and coastal connectivity.
 The Sagarmala Project aims to complete projects worth Rs. 2 trillion by
2024.
The Sagarmala Project has the objective of improving the infrastructure and
growth of ports in India, thus enhancing the connectivity and commercial
exchange along the coastline. This project is expected to boost the Indian
Economy and productivity by strengthening the domestic and international trade
relations.
The scheme aims to increase the private sector participation and reduce the
logistics costs at Indian ports. The project will create an industrial ecosystem
near ports and reduce the logistic costs and improve the manufacturing clusters
in nearby proximity in these hubs. This could optimize the transportation
connectivity in between roads, inland waterways, railways and air transport.
Sagarmala Project Components
The Sagarmala program consists of several key components aimed at
transforming India's maritime sector:
1. Port Modernization & New Port Development
This focuses on upgrading existing ports and constructing new ones to
enhance capacity and efficiency. It involves addressing bottlenecks and
introducing modernization, mechanization, and computerization in port
operations.
2. Port Connectivity Enhancement
This component aims to improve connectivity between ports and the
hinterland, optimizing both time and cost of cargo transportation. It
includes the development of multi-modal logistics solutions, such as
inland waterways and coastal shipping, to ensure seamless movement of
goods.
 3. Port-linked Industrialization
The initiative encourages the creation of industrial clusters near ports,
promoting economic growth and reducing logistics costs. These clusters
attract industries that benefit from efficient transportation and proximity
to ports.
4. Coastal Community Development
This focuses on the sustainable development of coastal communities by
providing skill development and livelihood generation opportunities. It
includes initiatives supporting fisheries, coastal tourism, and enhancing
the well-being of the local population.
5. Coastal Shipping & Inland Waterways Transport
This component promotes the use of coastal and inland waterways for
cargo transportation, reducing dependence on road and rail networks. It is
an environmentally friendly mode of transport that helps alleviate
congestion on roads and railways.
Bharatmala Pariyojana
It was launched by the Government of India in 2015 to bridge the gap in
infrastructural development and improve the effectiveness of road traffic
movement throughout India. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of
Road, Transport and Highways and aims to develop 24800 km of roads, to be
constructed in a phased manner.
Features of Bharatmala Pariyojana Scheme:
Economic Corridor- According to the road Construction Project, the
government aims to build around 9000 km of Economic Corridors.
Feeder Route- Feeder Route also known as Inter Corridor Category covers an
area of 6000 km of road.
National Corridor Efficiency Improvement- 5000 km of roads would be built
under the National corridor for better inter-connectivity between roads and
interconnect 550 districts.
International connectivity and border roads- 2000 km of roads will
interconnect the cities and remote areas located in border regions.
Coastal and Port Connectivity- It has been mandatory to connect the areas
around the shorelines and important ports.
Green Field Expressway- The construction and development of Greenfield
expressway will help in better traffic and freight management.
NHDP (National Highways Development Project) Works- Maintenance and
construction of new roads for about 10,000 km will be managed.
The Bharatmala Project focuses on improving the efficiency of the National
Corridors, including the Golden Quadrilateral and the North-South and East-
West Corridors, by addressing choke points through the construction of elevated
corridors, bypasses, ring roads, lane expansions, and logistics parks.
The project also includes constructing strategically significant Border Roads
along international boundaries and International Connectivity Roads to boost
trade with neighbouring countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan & Nepal.
Under the program, approximately 26,200 km of Economic Corridors with
heavy freight traffic have been identified for development. These corridors will
be enhanced end-to-end to ensure seamless travel, uniform standards, and
efficient transportation. Feeder Corridors are also planned to address
infrastructure gaps and asymmetries.
Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL)
It is one of the most ambitious railway projects undertaken in independent
India. Stretching 272 kilometres through the rugged Himalayas, the project has
been built at a cost of ₹43,780 crore. It includes 36 tunnels that span 119
kilometres and 943 bridges that knit together valleys, ridges and mountain
passes. Designed to overcome the region’s challenging geography, it connects
remote areas to the national rail network and marks a new chapter in mobility,
trade and tourism for Jammu and Kashmir.

To maximise the impact of this connectivity, the Vande Bharat Express is being
introduced between Jammu and Srinagar. Unlike other trains of its kind, this one
is tailored for the harsh Himalayan winters. It runs smoothly even in
temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. Heated windshields, advanced
heating systems and insulated toilets ensure that the train remains operational
and comfortable throughout the year.
New Rail Lines and First Electric Train in Kashmir Valley
In Feb 2024, a new 48-km rail line between Banihal, Khari, Sumber, and
Sangaldan was commissioned, along with the newly electrified 185.66-km
Baramulla–Srinagar–Banihal– Sangaldan section. Prime Minister Narendra
Modi flagged off the valley’s first electric train and also launched train services
between Sangaldan and Baramulla stations.
T-50 Tunnel and Road Connectivity under USBRL Project: Tunnel T50,
measuring 12.77 kilometres, connects Khari and Sumber in Jammu and
Kashmir. It is the longest transportation tunnel in the country and the longest
one built under the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
This tunnel has become a key link in ensuring uninterrupted rail connectivity
between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India. The design includes a main
tunnel and a parallel escape tunnel, connected through cross-passages every 375
metres to ensure safety. In addition, Indian Railways constructed 215 kilometres
of approach roads to provide access to project sites, improving transport and
connectivity for nearby communities.
Complete Railway Electrification in Jammu and Kashmir: Jammu and
Kashmir achieved 100% electrification of its railway tracks, marking a
significant step towards more efficient and sustainable rail transport in the
region.
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Jammu & Kashmir: Under the Amrit
Bharat Station Scheme, the Ministry of Railways has undertaken the
redevelopment of four stations in Jammu and Kashmir—Budgam, Jammu Tawi,
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, and Udhampur—with a focus on modern
facilities, improved passenger experience, and integrated urban development.
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme envisages development of stations on a
continuous basis with a long-term vision. The scheme aims at preparation of
Master Plans of the Railway stations and implementation of the Master Plan in
phases to enhance the facilities like to provide various amenities for the benefit
of passengers, including upgrading platforms, providing escalators, lifts,
developing parking areas, resting rooms, beautification of stations etc.
The scheme shall cater for introduction of new amenities as well as upgradation
and replacement of existing amenities.
A total of 1,275 railway stations including border areas, have been identified for
development under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme. The allocation of funds for
the development and maintenance of stations is done Zonal Railway-wise.
Nodal Ministry of this programme: Ministry of railways
What is the Yatri Mitra Scheme?
The facility of Yatri Mitra Sewa is being provided at major railway stations for
enabling passengers viz. differently-abled, ailing and old aged persons to book
wheel chair services cum porter services
Sikkim to get its first railway station
PM modi in 2024 virtually laid the foundation stone for Sikkim's first Indian
Railways station in Rangpo. This was part of the many railway infrastructure
projects, totaling approximately Rs 41,000 crore. Historically, Sikkim has
lacked an Indian Railways network. The government has undertaken this project
in three phases: initially from Sevoke (West Bengal) to Rangpo in the first phase
(45 km), then from Rangpo to Gangtok in the second phase, and finally from
Gangtok to Nathula in the third phase.
Note: In May 2025, Ministry of Railways has sanctioned a final location survey
for a new railway line in Sikkim. The Guwahati-headquartered Northeast
Frontier Railway (NFR) will conduct the ₹2.25 crore survey for the project,
which is envisaged to connect Melli, on the State’s boundary with West Bengal,
to Dentam on the India-Nepal border. The proposed route, about 75 km long,
would be a “strategic extension” of the under-construction Sivok-Rangpo
railway line, which is expected to be operational by 2027.
DFCCIL inaugurates 4th Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal:In March
2025, The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL)
achieved a significant milestone with the inauguration of the newly constructed
Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal (GCT) at New Gothangam (Gujarat) on the Western
Dedicated Freight corridor. It is the fourth terminal (third in financial year 2024-
25) to be operationalised under DFCCIL, following the successful
commissioning of GCTs at New Rewari, New Bhaupur and New Daud Khan.
The GCTs in New Sardhana and New Sakun are already in the construction
phase, and the approval for the GCT in New Dabla is expected soon.
Companies/PSUs under Ministry of Railways
 Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL)
 Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR) :- Head Office:
New Delhi
CONCOR (Navratna Company) is an Indian public sector undertaking which is
engaged in transportation and handling of containers. Incorporated in March
1988 under the Companies Act, CONCOR commenced operations in November
1989 taking over an existing network of seven inland container depots (ICDs)
from Indian Railways.
 IRCON International Limited (Navratna Company): Head Office: New
Delhi
Ircon International, or Indian Railway Construction International Limited
(IRCON), is an Indian engineering & construction corporation, specialized in
transport infrastructure. It was established in 1976, by the Indian
Railways under the Indian Companies Act 1956. Its primary charter was the
construction of railway projects in India and abroad. Ircon has since diversified
into other transport and infrastructure segments and with its expanded scope of
operations around the world, the name was changed to Indian Railway
International Ltd. in October 1995. The Ministry of Finance conferred
‘Navratna’ status on Ircon International in year 2023.
The Ircon is well known for undertaking challenging infrastructure projects,
especially in difficult terrains in India and abroad. Ircon has completed over
1650 major infrastructure projects in India and over 900 major projects across
the globe in more than 31 countries.
 Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC)
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) is a
'Navratna' listed company under Ministry of Railways and is the professional
hospitality and travel arm of Indian Railways incorporate for upgradation of
catering services over Indian Railways and promote rail-bound domestic and
inbound tourism in the country. IRCTC was incorporated on 27th September,
1999 as an extended arm of the Indian Railways to upgrade, professionalize and
manage the catering and hospitality services at stations, on trains and other
locations and to promote domestic and international tourism through
development of budget hotels, special tour packages, information commercial
publicity and global reservation systems. It’s registered and Corporate Office is
situated at New Delhi.
 Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC): Head Office: - New
Delhi
It was set up on 12th December, 1986 as the dedicated financing arm of the
Indian Railways for mobilizing funds from domestic as well as overseas Capital
Markets. IRFC is a Navratna company under the administrative control of the
Ministry of Railways. It is also registered as Systemically Important Non–
Deposit taking Non Banking Financial Company (NBFC – ND-SI) and
Infrastructure Finance Company (NBFC- IFC) with Reserve Bank of India.
In more than 30 years of existence, IRFC has played a significant role in
supporting the expansion of the Indian Railways and related entities by
financing a significant proportion of its annual plan outlay.
 Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL): Head Office: - New Delhi
RVNL is a Navratna PSU under the administrative control of the Ministry of
Railways. It is an central Public Sector Undertaking which works as the
construction arm of the Railways for project implementation and transportation
infrastructure development. It was incorporated in 2003 to meet the country's
surging infrastructural requirements and to implement projects on a fast-track
basis as well as for creating a Railway equipment construction company.
 RailTel Corporation of India Limited:- Head Office: - New Delhi
RailTel Corporation of India Ltd. is an Navaratna Public Sector Undertaking
which provides broadband and VPN services. RailTel was formed in September
2000 with the objective of creating a nationwide broadband, telecom and
multimedia network, and to modernise train control operation and safety system
of Indian Railways. RailTel's network passes through around 5,000 stations
across the country, covering all major commercial centres.
Note:- RailWire is community based broadband internet service provided by
RailTel in partnership with more than 11,000+ communities in India. Incepted
in 2008, RailWire broadband is delivered all over India through 62,000+ km
optic fiber network running through exclusive right of way along railway tracks.
RailWire is a retail Broadband initiative of the RailTel and it envisages
extending broadband and application services to the public. RailTel is working
to establish bringing fast and free Wi-Fi at all stations in association with
Google as the technology partner.
  Integral Coach Factory, Chennai
Integral Coach Factory (ICF) is an Indian manufacturer of rolling stock,
and electrical multiple units. Established in 1955, it is located
in Perambur in Chennai and is the largest rail coach manufacturer in the world.
It is owned and operated by the Indian Railways and is the oldest amongst the
five rake production units of the Indian Railways. While the facility initially
manufactured ICF coaches, it currently manufactures LHB coaches and electric
multiple units including the semi-high speed Vande Bharat train-sets.
 Rail India Technical and Economic Service Limited (RITES) Head
Office: - Gurugram
RITES Limited is a Navratna and Schedule A enterprise which operates under
the Ministry of Railways. It was registered as a multidisciplinary engineering
and consultancy firm in the field of transport infrastructure and other relevant
technologies in April 1974.
The company undertakes consultancy, engineering, and project management
activities in different sectors such as railways, highways, metros, tunnels,
bridges, urban development, airports, ports, passenger ropeways, and inland
waterway ports. Additionally, RITES is also a major exporter of Indian
Railways rolling stock comprising locomotives, coaches, and train sets.
 Konkan Railway Corporation Limited
 Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Limited (MRVC)
 Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS)
Railways Institutions:
Indian Railways is the largest civilian employer in the world at approximately
1.2 million [Link] of all the management cadres is entrusted and
shared between these institutes.
 Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications:
Secunderabad (Telangana)
 Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering (IRICEN): Pune
 Indian Railways Institute of Electrical Engineering (IRIEEN): Nashik
 Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
(IRIMEE): Jamalpur
 Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management (IRITM): Lucknow
 National Academy of Indian Railways (formerly known as Railway Staff
College): Vadodara
  Railway Protection Force (RPF) Academy, Lucknow, for officers
of Railway Protection Force.
 Indian Railways Institute of Financial Management: Secunderabad
 Indian Railways Track Machine Training Center: Prayagraj
LIST OF Production Units on Indian Railways
[Link]. Name of PU Place where situated
1. Chittaranjan Locomotive Works Chittaranjan
2. Diesel Locomotive Works Varanasi
3. Integral Coach Factory Chennai
4. Rail Coach Factory Kapurthala
5. Rail Wheel Factory Bangalore
6. Diesel Loco Modernisation Works Patiala
Note:-
 Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli (formerly Rail Coach Factory,
Raebareli) or MCF Raebareli: It is a rail coach manufacturing unit of
the Indian Railways at Lalganj near Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. The
factory was inaugurated on 7 November 2012. MCF Raebareli is one of
the most advanced coach manufacturing unit of the world it is equipped
with the many state of the art industrial robots and machines.
 Rail Wheel Plant, Bela: It is an independent production unit of Indian
Railways situated in the Bela gram panchayat of Saran district of Bihar. It
was inaugurated in 2008.
 RDSO (Research Designs and Standards Organisation): To enforce
standardization and co-ordination amongst various railway systems, the
Indian Railway Conference Association (IRCA) was set up in 1903,
followed by the Central Standards Office (CSO) was set up at Shimla in
1930, for preparation of designs, standards and specifications. However,
till independence, most of the designs and manufacture of railway
equipments was entrusted to foreign consultants. With Independence and
the resultant phenomenal increase in country’s industrial and economic
activity, which increased the demand of rail transportation - a new
organisation called Railway Testing and Research Centre (RTRC) was
setup in 1952 at Lucknow, for testing and conducting applied research for
development of railway rolling stock, permanent way etc. Central
 Standards Office (CSO) and the Railway Testing and Research Centre
(RTRC) were integrated into a single unit named Research Designs and
Standards Organisation (RDSO) in 1957, under Ministry of Railways at
Lucknow.
The Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) is
the research and development and railway technical
specification development organisation, which functions as a technical
adviser and consultant to the Railway Board, the Zonal Railways, the
Railway Production Units, RITES, RailTel and Ircon International in
respect of design and standardization of railway equipment and problems
related to railway construction, operations and maintenance.
About Indian Railways
Logo: The blue circle symbolizes unity, completeness, and connectivity, while
the 17 stars represent the 17 railway zones that existed when the logo was
designed. The logo, in its entirety, signifies the extensive and interconnected
railway network of India

The Mascot (Bholu) (2002 – Present)

One of the most recognisable symbols associated with Indian Railways is

Bholu, the elephant mascot. It was introduced in 2002 to commemorate the
150th anniversary of the Railways and designed by the National Institute of
Design. It was adopted by the Railways as an official mascot in 2003. Bholu
represents an elephant holding a signal lamp to symbolise safety & movement.
Vision:
Indian Railways shall provide safe, efficient, affordable, customer focussed and
environmentally sustainable integrated transportation solutions. It shall be a
modern vehicle of inclusive growth, connecting regions, communities, ports and
centres of industry, commerce, tourism and pilgrimage across the country.
Mission:
The mission areas identified for realizing the main objectives stated in the
Vision are the following:
1. To augment the capacity to handle freight services by constructing new lines,
laying double lines where necessary and through signaling improvements.
2. To take up necessary works to ease bottlenecks in the transportation network
so as to achieve higher speed and throughput.
3 To induct modern rolling stock to derive the benefit of upto date technology.
4. To monitor the system of grievance redressal so that the level of satisfaction
among rail users improves.
5. To monitor closely all aspects earnings and expenditure so that the
organisation functions in an efficient and cost effective manner.
6. To constantly upgrade the facilities extended to passengers and to minimize
the adverse environmental impact of the organisation’s activities .
7. To constantly strive to improve the working and living conditions of our
employees.
8. To continuously innovate and stay up to date in terms of technological
advancement and to achieve the best possible standards of safety in train
operations at all times.
More Information:
As of 2024, Indian Railways manages the fourth largest national railway system
(After USA, China, Russia) by size with a track length of 135,207 km, running
track length of 109,748 km (68,194 mi) and route length of 69,181 km
(42,987 mi). As of August 2024, 96.59% of the broad-gauge network
is electrified. With more than 1.2 million employees, it is the world's ninth-
largest employer and India's second largest employer after Indian armed Forces.
Indian Railways is a multi-gauge, multi-traction system covering the following:
Broad Meter
Gauge Gauge Narrow Gauge
Track Total
(1676 (1000 (762/610 mm)
Kilometers mm) mm)
86,526 18,529 3,651 109,748

Route Electrified Total

Kilometers 16,001 63,028
Indian Railways runs various classes of express, passengers and suburban trains.
In 2023–24, it operated 13,198 trains on average daily covering 7,325 stations
and carried 6.905 billion passengers. Indian Railways also operates different
classes of rail freight transport. In 2023–24, it operated 11,724 freight trains on
average daily and transported 1588.06 million tonnes of freight.
What is Rail Gauge?
Rail gauge is a fundamental concept in the railway industry. It refers to the
spacing of the rails on a railway track and is measured between the inner faces
of the load-bearing rails.
Rail Gauge
The gauge determines the width and stability of the railway track, which in turn
impacts the size and design of the rail vehicles that can operate on the track.
Over 60% of the world's railway network uses the standard gauge of 1435 mm.
India has four distinct kinds of railway gauges:
 Broad gauge
 Meter gauge
 Narrow gauge
 Standard gauge (specifically used for the Delhi Metro)
Broad gauge:
 Broad gauge is a railway track configuration where the separation
between the two tracks in these railway gauges is 1676 mm.
o Any gauge above the conventional gauge measurement of 1,435
mm is often referred to as a broad gauge.
 The first railway line constructed in India was a wide gauge track from
Bore Bunder (now known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal, Mumbai) to
Thane in the year 1853.
 The use of broad-gauge railway systems is also seen at port facilities for
the purpose of accommodating cranes and other related equipment.
 Thicker gauges provide enhanced stability and surpass thinner gauges in
terms of performance.
Meter gauge:
 The separation between the two tracks is 1,000 mm.
 The installation of meter-gauge lines was undertaken with the objective
of minimising expenses.
 Under the Unigauge project, it is planned to convert all meter gauge
lines in India, except the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (a historical railway
operating on a meter gauge) into a wide gauge.
Narrow gauge:
 The smaller gauge is sometimes referred to as a narrow or little line.
 The narrow-gauge railway refers to a kind of railway track characterised
by a distance of 762 mm and 610 mm between the two tracks.
Standard gauge:
 The railway gauge in question exhibits a distance of 1435 mm between its
two tracks.
 In the context of rail transportation systems in India, it is observed that
the standard gauge is only used for urban rail transit systems such as
Metro, Monorail, and Tram.
 In metropolitan regions, it is preferable to construct metro lines only
using the standard gauge due to the greater accessibility of rolling
equipment for this gauge.

Facts about Indian Railways

 For the first time, Indian Railways has introduced an ATM (Bank of
Maharashtra) inside a train, allowing passengers on the Mumbai-Manmad
Panchavati Express to withdraw cash during their journey. Central
Railway (CR) has introduced this to make travel more convenient.
 The Fairy Queen is the oldest functioning steam engine in the world. It is
plying between New Delhi and Alwar in Rajasthan.
 Four sites of Indian Railways have been declared as “World Heritage
sites” by the UNESCO. They are Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri
Mountain, Mumbai CST, and Kalka-Shimla Railways.
 Indian Railways was nationalized in 1951
 According to the Acworth Committee in 1920-21, the railway finances of
India were separated from the general government finances in 1924.
 On 21 September 2016, Modi government approved merger of the Rail
and General budgets on the recommendation of Bibek Debroy committee.
 On 8th March, 2021 – The first woman driver of Indian Railways,
Surekha Yadav drove all women-staffed Mumbai-Lucknow Special train
on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
 Trains like Palace on Wheels, Maharajas’ Express, and The Deccan
Odyssey offer luxurious travel experiences similar to five-star hotels.
 Indian Railways is on its way to becoming the first fully electric railway
network by 2030.
 The Lifeline Express, or Jeevan Rekha Express, is a hospital train in
India that has been running since 16 July 1991. It was a collaboration
between the Impact India Foundation (IIF), Indian Railways (IR) and
the Health Ministry. The train has made a health impact both in India, as
well as around the world where it has inspired similar initiatives.
 Indian Railways launches new ‘RailOne’ app with an aim to bring more
convenience to passengers. RailOne launched by railways as a one stop
app for all railway related queries and needs. The new RailOne app will
host all passenger services in one booking IRCTC reserved, unreserved
and platform tickets, tracking PNR and train status, coach position, Rail
Madad and travel feedback.
 The Ministry of Railways has released the mobile app "Rail MADAD
(Mobile Application for Desired Assistance During travel)" to expedite
and streamline passenger grievance redressal. Rail Madad is part of the
Railway Passenger Grievance Redressal and Management System
(RPGRAMS) of Indian Railways.
 The Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation Limited has
powered voice-enabled Ask DISHA (Digital Interaction to Seek Help
Anytime) Chatbot to converse with customers in the Hindi language. The
customers can now ask queries to Ask DISHA in Hindi by voice as well
as text. Ask Disha is an AI -based chatbot which was initially launched in
the English language in October 2018. It is a first-of-its-kind initiative by
IRCTC which aims to benefit the users of the ticketing and tourism
websites of IRCTC to resolve queries of railway passengers over the
internet pertaining to various services offered.
 The UMID (or Ummeed) scheme of Railways is intended as a way to
improve medical beneficiary service delivery. This service is much
helpful for Indian Railway employees or officer. UMID is a smart
Medical Identity Card provided to the PENSIONER and each dependent,
individually & independently, and has a unique all-India number.
 Project Saksham (launched in 2017) is the country's largest time
bound "up skilling exercise" to boost the efficiency & productivity of
the Employees of the Indian railways. It aims to upgrade the skill sets of
around 13 Lakhs workforce with a single drive spanning nine months.
 In 2020, Haldibari – Chilahati rail link jointly inaugurated by the PM of India and
Bangladesh. Recently, The Government of two countries also signed MoU for railway
project linking Akhaurah (Bangladesh) and Agartala (Tripura). The project is
expected to be completed soon.
  The Raxaul–Kathmandu railway line is a proposed cross-border
railway between India and Nepal.
North Eastern Railway Connectivity Project
It is an multi phased railway connectivity project in Northeast India which
comprises states of Arunachal
Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura &
Sikkim. These states come under Northeast Frontier Railway Zone of Indian
Railways. This Railway project is considered as strategically important for India
because it connects all the border states in this region and also close
to ASEAN countries. The Government of India has planned and projected to
connect all capitals of North Eastern states by 2030.
The region currently has 6,829 km of rail network mostly in the state of Assam.
Currently the three capitals Guwahati, Itanagar and Agartala are linked with
railways. In 2023, various deluxe trains begans operations connecting major
locations such as Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati (Assam), Kaziranga National
Park in Assam, Unakoti in Tripura, Cherrapunji in Meghalaya, and Dimapur in
Nagaland.

Under construction Projects in North East

Length
Project Location States (in
km)
Sivok– From Sivok, Darjeeling district(WB) West
44.96
Rangpo line To Rangpo, Pakyong district(SK) Bengal and Sikkim
From Bairabi, Kolasib district
Bairabi–
Mizoram 51.38
Sairang line
To Sairang, Aizawl district
From Jiribam, Jiribam district
Jiribam–
Manipur 110.63
Imphal line
To Imphal, Imphal district
From Dhansiri(Dimapur), Dimapur
Dhansiri– district
Nagaland 82.5
Zubza line
To Zubza,Kohima district
From Tetelia(Guwahati), Kamrup
Tetelia- district
Assam & Meghalaya 22
Byrnihat line
To Byrnihat, Ri-Bhoi district