Indian Railways to expand 11,000 km of high-density routes to four lanes

Indian Railways has announced a major infrastructure expansion project to convert approximately 11,000 kilometres of high-density routes into a four-lane network. The initiative, outlined by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, aims to increase capacity for both passenger and freight traffic across the country’s busiest corridors.

The seven identified routes are Delhi-Howrah, Howrah-Chennai, Chennai-Mumbai, Mumbai-Delhi, Delhi-Chennai, Mumbai-Howrah, and Delhi-Guwahati. While these corridors represent only about 16% of the total railway network, they currently handle approximately 41% of all railway traffic.

By expanding these sections to four tracks, the railway aims to reduce congestion, provide greater scheduling flexibility, and manage rising demand during peak periods such as holiday seasons. The project is part of a broader modernization effort to support growing industrial and commercial movement across northern, western, eastern, southern, and northeastern India.