Seven additional high-speed rail (HSR) projects approved by the budget will be prepared by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is constructing the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
The Railway Board meeting on Monday accepted this. The Railway Board released recommendations on Monday to expedite the implementation of new high-speed rail projects across the nation, according to a railway official.
The seven high-speed rail tracks that were included in the budget—Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi, and Varanasi-Siliguri—will shortly begin construction, it was decided at this conference.
It is the duty of NHSRCL to expedite the execution of all these projects. The Railway Board will oversee the revision of the previously prepared detailed project reports to incorporate current costs, project completion costs, and other necessary information.
Additionally, the task of formally completing standardized technical and operational standards for high-speed rail throughout India has been given to NHSRCL.
According to the notification, each HSR project must have a field-deployed core team, a project-specific headquarters, a list of pre-construction activities, and the contract documentation process started. For a variety of high-speed rail projects, it also guides the planning process for sufficient and skilled technical human resources.
According to the official, project-wise human resource appraisals for every route have been expressly required by the Railway Board. Indian Railways’ staffing needs will be part of this. A review of the full action plan’s progress will take place.
In addition to enhancing regional connectivity, the Railways’ endeavor will encourage the growth of contemporary, secure, and quick rail connectivity throughout the nation. Economic development would also receive particular attention during the project’s construction, the source stated.
On Monday, the Railway Ministry authorized a number of significant nationwide projects aimed at improving freight traffic and passenger services. The states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, Jharkhand, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab would all directly profit from these initiatives.
The projects approved on Monday cover a number of Southern Railway, Northern Railway, and South Eastern Railway sections, according to the Railway Ministry. These will contribute to safer, more efficient, and more seamless transportation.
In addition to building a third and fourth rail line between Damarughutu and Bokaro Steel City for the state of Jharkhand, the meeting approved the doubling of the South Eastern Railway’s Barbenda-Damarughutu segment. The anticipated cost of the project is ₹815.32 crore. This project will improve connectivity between coalfields, steel and cement factories, and industrial locations by speeding up the energy, mineral, and cement transportation corridor.
Meanwhile, the busiest line of Northern Railway received authority to install a contemporary electronic interlocking system at 34 stations. The estimated cost of this project is ₹421.41 crore. For 21 stations in the Delhi Division, the project would cost ₹292.24 crore, and for 13 stations in the Ambala Division, it will cost ₹129.17 crore.
Train operations will be safer thanks to this system and the Kavach rail safety system. Additionally, the number of trains on this route can be increased with improved safety. Also approved is the 13.46-km Rajpura Bypass train route, which will ease traffic on the Ambala-Jalandhar portion. It will set you back ₹411.96 crore. Upon completion of the line, the Rajpura yard will no longer be required for freight trains to pass.
At a cost of ₹324.16 crore, the Railways have authorized the doubling of the 12.66-kilometer Alappuzha-Ambalapuzha railway segment in Kerala. Once finished, the line will speed up freight traffic and add more trains. The Palakkad Nagar-Parli Bypass railway line in Kerala, which is 1.80 km long, has also received approval.
₹163.57 crore, or US$1.63 billion, is the price. When finished, it will speed up travel by removing the need for engine changes at Palakkad Junction. At a cost of ₹277.42 crore (US$2.77 billion), the 10.77-kilometer Irugur-Podanur segment in Tamil Nadu has been approved for doubling. Once finished, the Chennai-Coimbatore-Podanur route will be a four-lane rail line.
Ashwini Vaishnav, the minister of railways, officially launched the Sairang-Silchar passenger train service online on Monday. Among those in attendance at the event was Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma. According to railway officials, the new Sairang-Silchar passenger train service will offer direct connections between the Barak Valley of Assam and the capital of Mizoram.
The Guwahati Railway Station also saw the opening of contemporary passenger amenities like air-conditioned waiting areas, multi-cuisine eateries, and retiring rooms. This time, Ashwini Vaishnav stated that the North-East region’s railway budget has grown dramatically during the past ten years.
Northeast states would receive ₹11,486 crore from the Union Budget 2026–2027. In the area, projects totaling over ₹72,468 crore are now under process. According to Ashwini Vaishnav, the Bairabi-Sairang rail line links the national rail network with the city of Mizoram.
The Prime Minister launched this endeavor, which is both historic and technically difficult. Future service expansion will assist Assam, Mizoram, and other areas.
