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Indian Railways service and capacity expansion

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2026-09-14 00:56 UTC → 2026-09-18 10:11 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Indian Railways has initiated several expansions to its service and capacity. In the Jammu Division, the Ministry of Railways announced the introduction of four new train pairs for the 2025–26 fiscal year, including two Vande Bharat Express services. Additionally, the agency approved seven new Amrit Bharat Express trains to improve northern connectivity and implemented temporary coach augmentations for August 2026 to manage passenger surges. Building on these efforts, the Vande Bharat network saw ridership grow by 34% in FY26, reaching approximately 3.98 crore passengers. While many passenger classes reported losses in FY25, the AC 3-tier and AC Chair Car segments remained profitable. To capitalize on this, the agency is expanding into long-distance overnight travel. Following the January 2026 launch of Vande Bharat sleeper services—which reported occupancy rates “exceeding 100%” in their first three months—the railway is preparing larger 24-coach sleeper trains. The Integral Coach Factory in Chennai has completed detailed design drawings for 50 of these trainsets, designed for a maximum speed of 160 km/h. Recent high-speed trials have further tested these technologies. A Vande Bharat Freight EMU reached 130 kmph on the Ahmedabad–Vadodara–Mumbai Central section. Designed for time-sensitive, high-value cargo like electronics and pharmaceuticals, the 16-coach train features refrigerated vans and the Kavach safety system. Additionally, a 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper reached speeds of up to 160 kmph during testing of the indigenous Kavach system on the Hazrat Nizamuddin-Palwal route. This sleeper model is designed for long-distance travel with a capacity of 823 passengers and a design speed of 180 kmph. To further enhance network capacity and freight movement, the Indian Cabinet has approved ‘Mission 4-Track’, aiming to convert seven high-density corridors into four-lane tracks.

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