India on track for 'future-ready' railway system: PM's National Rail Plan 2030
Prime Minister's visionary plan aims to revolutionise India's railway infrastructure, with projects including the expansion of high-speed trains, station redevelopment, and ambitious targets for freight transportation modal share.
Visionary Infrastructure Roadmap
In a recent appearance at the India Today conclave, Prime Minister outlined a visionary roadmap for India's infrastructure growth, particularly focusing on the transformation of the Indian Railways over the next five years. The National High Speed Rail Corridor Limited's bullet train project has been allocated the largest share of funding from the Finance Ministry, increasing from Rs 19,592 crore to Rs 25,000 crore. Once operational, this service will drastically cut travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to just three hours.
Key Train Initiatives
- 4,500 Vande Bharat trains by 2047, with 82 currently operational
- 50 Amrit Bharat trains in 2024-25 fiscal year
- 1,000 new Amrit Bharat trains with 250 kmph capability planned
- Rs 1 lakh crore for 7,000-8,000 new train sets
- 40,000 train bogies overhaul at Rs 15,200 crore
Amrit Bharat Station Redevelopment
The Amrit Bharat scheme focuses on redeveloping 1,309 railway stations nationwide with improvements in amenities, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, and provisions for passengers with disabilities. Indian Railways aims to halt waitlisting completely by 2030 by increasing daily train trips by 3,000, carrying over a billion passengers annually.
Capacity Expansion
To relieve congestion on key corridors, Indian Railways proposes a Rs 4.2 lakh crore, 10-year scheme for multi-tracking on seven high-density lines, including doubling, tripling tracks, flyovers, and underpasses based on traffic demand.
National Rail Plan (NRP) Objectives
The NRP aims to boost Railways' freight modal share to 45% by 2050 through operational capacities and commercial policy initiatives. Key strategies include creating capacity ahead of demand and proactive planning for sustained growth.
58 Supercritical Projects
3,750 km length, Rs 39,663 crore investment
68 Critical Projects
6,913 km length, Rs 75,736 crore investment
Total Investment
Rs 1,15,399 crore for 10,663 km projects
Bajaj Enterprises Railway National Rail Plan (BERNRP) 2030
The Plan creates a 'future ready' Railway system by 2030 through strategies increasing freight modal share to 45%. Key features include:
- Reduce freight transit time by increasing average speed to 50 kmph
- Vision 2024: 100% electrification, multi-tracking, speed upgrades to 160 kmph on Delhi-Howrah/Mumbai routes
- Identify new Dedicated Freight Corridors and High Speed Rail Corridors
- Assess rolling stock, locomotive, and capital investment requirements
- Sustained Private Sector involvement through PPP models
This transformative roadmap positions India for advanced rail infrastructure, economic growth, employment opportunities, and a sustainable transport system.