Govt clears Rs 765-cr projects to modernise railways’ infra

To strengthen Indian Railways' infrastructure and technology, the government on Tuesday said it has approved several upgradation works worth Rs 765 crore to improve operations, expand line capacity and modernise communication systems across critical sections of the network.

According to the Railways Ministry, the approved projects include upgradation of electric traction systems on two high-density freight and passenger corridors and expansion of the optical fibre communication backbone across the Vadodara and Mumbai Central divisions of Western Railway.

The government has also sanctioned Rs 318.07 crore for upgrading the electric traction system on the 106-km Duvvada–Visakhapatnam–Vizianagaram section of East Coast Railway. “The section will be upgraded from the existing 1×25 kV system to a more advanced 2×25 kV system, enabling higher freight loading, improved speed potential and enhanced reliability on this high-density corridor,” the ministry said.

The ministry added that the project is part of a nationwide programme included in the 2024–25 Railway Budget aimed at modernising electric traction systems across Indian Railways. In addition, the ministry has approved another Rs 259.39 crore project to upgrade the electric traction system on the 126-km Raichur–Guntakal section, spanning Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, under the Guntakal division of South Central Railway.

According to the ministry, the section will also be upgraded from the existing 1×25 kV system to a 2×25 kV system. The route lies on the Mumbai–Chennai corridor, and the upgrade is expected to facilitate smoother freight movement and faster passenger services, including operations of modern trains such as the Vande Bharat Express.