
The Indian government, in its interim budget for 2024-25, has announced the implementation of three major economic railway corridor programs, coupled with the conversion of 40,000 standard railway bogies to Vande Bharat standards. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the strategic significance of these initiatives in enhancing logistics efficiency, reducing costs, and elevating passenger safety and comfort.
Three major economic railway corridor programs:
Under the umbrella of the PM Gati Shakti initiative, the government is set to embark on three crucial economic railway corridor programs:
Energy, Mineral, and Cement corridors:
Aimed at streamlining the transportation of essential commodities, enhancing logistics efficiency, and reducing costs.
Port connectivity corridors:
Focused on improving connectivity to ports, facilitating smoother movement of goods, and bolstering economic growth.
High traffic density corridors:
Geared towards decongesting busy railway routes, optimizing passenger train operations, and ensuring safety and higher travel speeds.
These initiatives align with the broader vision of multi-modal connectivity and are expected to contribute significantly to the nation’s economic growth.
Conversion of 40,000 standard rail bogies to Vande Bharat standards:
The budget announcement includes the conversion of 40,000 regular rail bogies to Vande Bharat standards, showcasing a commitment to enhancing passenger safety, convenience, and overall travel experience. It’s essential to note that this upgrade does not entail replacing existing coaches but involves incorporating additional amenities to meet global standards.
Budget allocation for Indian railways:
In the Union Budget 2023-24, the ministry allocated a record-breaking capital outlay of Rs 2.40 lakh crore for Indian Railways, demonstrating the government’s emphasis on modernizing and transforming the railway infrastructure. This allocation was almost nine times higher than that of the Financial Year 2013-14.
Vivek Lohia, Managing Director of Jupiter Wagons Limited, commended the transformative vision for the rail sector, emphasizing the pivotal role these corridors play in connectivity, economic growth, and passenger safety. The move towards Vande Bharat standards for 40,000 bogies was also lauded as a significant milestone in India’s railway modernization journey, setting a benchmark for excellence in service quality and reliability.
As India embraces these forward-looking railway initiatives, the interim budget underscores the government’s commitment to ushering in a new era of efficiency, connectivity, and safety in the country’s railway network.