India has the fourth-largest railway system in the world, lagging behind only US, Russia and China.
The Indian rail network is spread across more than 67,000 km (approximately 93,000 running track km) with about 7,300 stations. The railways run close to 13,000 passenger trains that carry over 23 mn passengers daily. The Indian Railways transported over 1.2 bn tons of freight in 2017-18.
Indian Railways is the single largest employer in India and eighth largest in the world; employing close to 1.4 mn people.
100% FDI allowed in railway infrastructure under the automatic route.
For further details, please refer FDI Policy
Passenger traffic growth (2011-17)
Freight traffic growth (2011-18)
Average daily passengers
Revenue from freight traffic (2016-17)
4th largest railway system in the world
4th largest rail freight carrier in the world
Single largest employer in India and 8th largest in the world
Indian Railways aspires to add 1.5% to the country’s GDP by building infrastructure to support 40% modal freight share of the economy.
Two Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC), one on the Western route (Jawaharlal Nehru Port to Dadri) and another on the Eastern route (Ludhiana to Dankuni), have been fast-tracked.
The Indian Railways is looking to award 6 tenders worth $ 1.2 bn, for setting up a country-wide electricity transmission network as part of a strategy to reduce electricity bills.
Alstom's rail locomotive plant in Madhepura, Bihar, starts production of the first electric railway engine, GE imports prototype of diesel locomotive to be manufactured at Marhaura.
CIDB Holding (Malaysia) to invest $ 774.5 mn in the redevelopment of Udaipur, Howrah, Indore, Secunderabad, Pune and Faridabad railway stations.
Indian Railways is planning to award 6 tenders worth $ 1.2 bn for setting up a countrywide electricity transmission network as part of a strategy to reduce electricity bills.
Solar panels on the rooftop of narrow gauge trains
$ 17 bn investments for 35 bullet trains by 2022
To reduce the traveling time between the metropolis
Electrification of more than 10,000 km by 2019
Re-development of over 400 stations across the country
Construction of 5 dedicated freight corridors
It is a broad gauge freight corridor under construction in India by Indian Railway. There are 2 corridors in the country, i.e. the Western and Eastern freight corridors.
Rolling stock is all the engines and carriages including the locomotives, passenger coaches, freight wagons, guard's vans, etc. that are used on a railway.
The Diamond Quadrilateral railway project has the mandate to develop high speed rail network across several metros of India. So far 6 corridors have been identified.
These are:
1) Delhi-Mumbai.
2) Mumbai-Chennai
3) Chennai-Kolkata
4) Kolkata-Delhi and both diagonals i.e.
5) Delhi-Chennai.
6) Mumbai-Kolkata routes.
The following reforms have been announced for the railway sector in the Union Budget 2017-18:
1) The GoI will provide INR 55,000 crore ($ 8.25 bn) towards capital and development expenditure of Railways.
2) A fund named Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh worth Rs 100,000 crore ($ 15 bn) will be created, which will be directed towards passenger safety.
3) All the coaches of the Indian Railways will be fitted with bio toilets by the year 2019.
4) Railway lines of 3,500 kms will be commissioned in 2017-18.
The investment opportunities are available in the following areas:
1) Components manufacturing.
2) Infrastructure projects.
3) High speed train projects.
4) Railway lines to and from coal mines and ports.
5) Projects relating to electrification, high-speed tracks and suburban corridors.
6) Dedicated freight corridors.
7) The re-development of railway stations.
8) Power generation and energy-saving projects.
9) Freight terminals operations.
10) Setting up of wagon, coaches and locomotive units.
11) Gauge conversion.
12) Network expansion.
By: Invest India
By: Invest India
By: Invest India
By: Invest India
By: Invest India
By: Sanchi Padia
By: Shivam Batham
By: Preet Deep Singh
By: Anusha Agarwal
