Page 3 - Indian Railways

Rail services disrupted in Assam after IED blast near Kokrajhar station

Railway services across Lower Assam and parts of north Bengal were disrupted early on Thursday after unidentified miscreants detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) on a railway track in Kokrajhar district, officials said. The explosion took place around five kilometres from Kokrajhar railway station on the route towards Salakati after midnight, an official said. "The blast ripped apart nearly three feet of railway line with fragments of the damaged track found strewn several metres away," he added. Kokrajhar Senior Superintendent of Police Pushpraj Singh said there were no reports of any casualties or derailment in the incident. "The damage was limited to a short portion of the track, which was promptly repaired. Train movement has resumed now," he added. Train operations were suspended overnight, affecting several Up and Down trains in Lower Assam and northern West Bengal till around 8 am, another official said. Railway and security personnel conducted thorough inspectio

Elaborate arrangements at Bihar stations to handle Chhath rush: Railways

Elaborate arrangements have been made in all stations in the Hajipur-headquartered East Central Railway (ECR) zone in view of the heavy rush of passengers during Chhath Puja, a senior official said. ECR General Manager Chhatrasal Singh on Wednesday said the priority of the railways is to facilitate the smooth arrival and departure of travellers, and ensure their safety by preventing any untoward incidents. "The number of Chhath special trains has been increased from 7,500 to 12,000 this year. A large number of people are expected to visit Bihar in the coming days to celebrate Chhath. The preparations for their arrival are already complete. However, the real challenge will arise when they return to their workplaces after the festival," he said. "The window for the return is narrow, but for that too, preparations are in the last stage," he added. Singh said the construction of holding areas at all major terminals will be completed by Thursday night, following which the ECR will condu

Railways mulling annuity model to boost investment and infra development

The railway ministry is exploring a HAM-like model to boost private participation and speed up infrastructure expansion across the sector

North Eastern Railway notifies 145 special puja trains for Chhath festival

Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) for North Eastern Railway, Pankaj Kumar Singh, said that special trains are being run in record numbers

Action launched against those spreading fake clips on railways: Govt

Strict action has been initiated against those people who circulate fake videos targeting railways on social media, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Sunday after reviewing crowd management measures at Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi. While speaking to mediapersons, he also appealed to people not to circulate fake videos as this creates confusion among passengers. Vaishnaw conducted a surprise inspection of Anand Vihar station to ensure passenger safety and convenience during the festive season. "The minister inspected the holding area at the station and also directly interacted with passengers. During the interaction, he took feedback from passengers regarding the cleanliness of the station premises and the facilities being provided," a press note from the railway ministry said. According to the press note, the railways have made comprehensive arrangements to ensure that passengers do not face any inconvenience despite the huge rush. "Passenger convenience and safety

Fire breaks out in Amritsar-Saharsa Garib Rath in Punjab, one injured

A fire broke out in a coach of the Amritsar-Saharsa Garib Rath Express near Sirhind railway station here on Saturday morning, officials said. There was no casualty in the incident, they said. The fire broke out around 7:30 AM when the train (number 12204) was coming from Amritsar. A police official said smoke was noticed in one of the AC coaches of the train and passengers were safely evacuated. Fire tenders were immediately called in to put out the fire, the official said. The officials said that soon after the fire was noticed, the railway authorities shifted the passengers of the affected coach to other coaches. The train will leave for its destination shortly, they said.

Vaishnaw warns railway suppliers of blacklisting amid high-speed rail push

The rail minister warned component makers to upgrade quality as India targets 7,000 km of high-speed rail corridors, Vande Bharat 4.0, and Kavach 5.0 systems.

Vaishnaw warns railway suppliers of blacklisting amid high-speed rail push

The rail minister warned component makers to upgrade quality as India targets 7,000 km of high-speed rail corridors, Vande Bharat 4.0, and Kavach 5.0 systems

Tata AutoComp Systems seeks to tap opportunities in railways sector

Auto components maker Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd is seeking to tap opportunities emerging from the modernisation of Indian Railways, identifying it as a key focus area beyond its core automotive components business, its Vice-Chairman Arvind Goel said on Monday. The company has already stitched partnerships with global technology leaders -- Skoda, Compin Fainsa, and Air International Thermal Systems to bring world-class products and technologies to the Indian market. "India's rail network is undergoing rapid modernisation, and the government's focus on improving infrastructure, travel convenience, and passenger comfort makes this the right time to enter the segment," Goel said. He further said, "Through our collaborations with Skoda, we aim to bridge global expertise with India's manufacturing strength." Citing the example of Vande Bharat trains on how the government is making huge investments to offer high-speed, good-quality and comfortable trains, he said, "Diversifying beyond ...

Diwali special Vande Bharat Express: Check schedule, routes & more

Indian Railways has launched the Vande Bharat Festival Special Express for Diwali. The special trains will run on the New Delhi-Patna-New Delhi route, covering 1,000 km in 13.5 hours.

Railways spent ₹1.42 trn on capex in first six months of current fiscal

The ministry utilised 57% of its ₹2.52-trillion annual capital outlay in six months, led by spending on capacity augmentation, safety, and rolling stock

Govt approves four railway projects worth ₹24,634 cr under PM Gati Shakti

The four projects covering 18 districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh will increase the Indian Railways network by about 894 km

Indian Railways freight volume rises 4% in September, coal demand steady

Indian Railways' freight volume reached 127.5 MT in September 2025, with overall growth led by fertiliser, iron ore, and steel products, even as coal demand remained subdued

India, Bhutan to establish first rail link with ₹4,033 cr outlay over 3 yrs

India and Bhutan will build Rs 4,033 crore rail links from Gelephu and Samtse within three years, connecting to Indian Railways to strengthen trade, cargo and passenger movement

Bihar to get 3 new Amrit Bharat Express trains today: Check route, time

The new Amrit Bharat Express trains will start from Bihar on September 29, connecting Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana

Railways Ministry approves new superfast train on Bengaluru-Mumbai route

BJP leader Tejasvi Surya on Saturday said that the Union Ministry of Railways has approved a new superfast train between Bengaluru and Mumbai, fulfilling a 30-year-old demand of people from both cities. Surya pointed out that despite Bengaluru and Mumbai being two of India's most important economic hubs, the two cities had been connected by only one train, the Udyan Express, which takes over 24 hours to complete the journey. "Very soon, we will be starting a superfast train between Bengaluru and Mumbai. Both cities are major economic hubs and capacity expansion at their stations has now made this possible," Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw was quoted as saying in a statement by Surya's office. Noting that this was a demand pending for 30 years, Surya, who represents the Bengaluru South in Lok Sabha, said, in the last three decades, despite the growth of both cities, we had only one superfast train between Bengaluru and Mumbai. "Last year alone, over 26 lakh people travel

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train to be fully operational by 2029: Vaishnaw

The 50-km stretch of India's first bullet train project between Surat and Bilimora in Gujarat will open in 2027, and by 2029, the entire section between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will be operational, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said here on Saturday. After becoming operational, the bullet train will cover the distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in just two hours and seven minutes, he said, stressing that India's first bullet train project is progressing very well. Vaishnaw visited the under-construction Surat bullet train station and inspected track installation works and its first turnout installation. "Overall progress of the first bullet train project is very good. The first 50-km section of the project between Surat and Bilimora will be open by 2027. We are preparing for that. By 2028, the entire Thane-Ahmedabad section will be commissioned, and by 2029, the entire Mumbai-Ahmedabad section will open," he told reporters. Vaishnaw stated that the speed potential of the main li

Vande Bharat sleeper launch after 2nd train arrives by Oct 15: Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will be launched once the second train is ready for regular service. One train is ready for launch at Shakur Basti Coaching Depot in Delhi after undergoing necessary trials and testing, according to officials. Briefing the media, Vaishnaw said that the second train is being manufactured and will possibly be ready by October 15, 2025. "Both the trains will be launched together," he said. The minister emphasised that the second train is important to maintain the continuity of regular services. "That's why we are waiting for a second rake. Once we get it, we will decide any route and start operations," Vaishnaw added. Speculation is rife that the trains will be launched between New Delhi and Patna as Bihar is going to polls by the end of the year. Vaishnaw, along with Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, briefed the media on the status of the existing and upcoming railway projects in ..

Festival rush: Railways to run 12,000 special trains for Diwali, Chhath

Railways will operate 12,000 festival trains this year, with the Vande Sleeper set for rollout and a new Rajpura-Mohali line sanctioned to cut travel distance by 66 km

Rail blockade by Kurmis hits Jharkhand train services, key routes disrupted

Defying prohibitory orders, a rail blockade by Kurmis is underway at various stations in Jharkhand on Saturday morning, disrupting train services partially in the state, officials said. The protestors were seen sitting on tracks at Rai station in Ranchi, Parasnath in Giridih and Chandrpura in Bokaro district under the banner of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS) to press their demand for a Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the community and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. According to a statement issued by the railways, train services in the jurisdiction of the South Eastern Railway (SER) and Dhanbad division of the East Central Railway (ECR) have been partially affected due to the agitation by Adivasi Kudmi Samaj. "At least three trains, including Hatia-Barddhaman Memu and Tatanagar-Gua-Tatanagar Memu, have been cancelled, one has been short-terminated and four were controlled," it said. Security personnel were trying to pacify the protestors and