Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Indian Railways is preparing to expand seven high-density rail routes to four tracks, covering nearly 11,000 km across some of the country’s busiest railway corridors. The Indian Railways four-laning plan is aimed at increasing train capacity and making it easier to handle growing passenger and freight movement. These high-density rail routes currently account for around 41 per cent of the country’s total railway traffic despite making up only about 16% of the overall railway network. The corridors connect major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Howrah, making them crucial for both passenger and freight trains.
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WHICH HIGH-DENSITY RAIL ROUTES ARE INCLUDED?
The seven high-density rail routes covered by the Indian Railways plan are:
- Delhi-Howrah
- Howrah-Chennai
- Chennai-Mumbai
- Mumbai-Delhi
- Delhi-Chennai
- Mumbai-Howrah
- Delhi-Guwahati
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said infrastructure is being developed to provide four railway lines across these routes. The expansion is intended to create additional capacity and support the future growth of passenger and freight traffic.
The railway ministry has also pointed to the economic and environmental advantages of rail transport, including lower transport costs and cleaner mobility.
DELHI-HOWRAH, DELHI-MUMBAI SEE HEAVY TRAFFIC
The Delhi-Howrah and Delhi-Mumbai corridors are among the busiest sections. Both allow express trains to operate at speeds of up to 160 kmph.
More than 120 passenger trains and around 100 freight trains run daily on the Delhi-Howrah route. The corridor covers around 1,400 km.
On the Delhi-Mumbai route, more than 90 passenger trains and around 80-85 freight trains operate every day. The route extends for approximately 1,500 km.
Both routes are also part of the major Golden Quadrilateral network.
HOW LONG ARE THE OTHER ROUTES?
The Howrah-Chennai route covers around 1,653 km, while the Delhi-Chennai route spans approximately 2,174 km. The Chennai-Mumbai route covers around 1,289 km.
Across the wider network, around 25,000 trains operate every day. Indian Railways also carried more than 741 crore passengers during 2025-26.
The Indian Railways four-laning project is therefore focused on adding capacity where passenger and freight demand is already particularly high.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
