Page 6 - Railways

Indian Railways partners with RKFL, TWL to reduce reliance on China

Indian Railways, which is mainly dependent on China for its forged wheel requirements, has collaborated with an Indian firm to reduce imports, officials said. According to Railways, it has been importing various types of forged wheels required for locomotives and coaching stock (LHB) since the 1960s from the UK, Czech Republic, Brazil, Romania, Japan, China, Ukraine and Russia. "During the year 2024-25, wheels worth approx Rs 900 Crore were imported from China and Russia/Ukraine and another 40,000 wheels were sourced from Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). Currently, due to the Russia-Ukraine Crisis, the majority of the import requirement of wheels is being met from China," a release from the Railway Ministry said. The "requirement of wheels is projected to increase up to 2 lakh by 2026 onwards due to the induction of more and higher speed trains," it added. According to the ministry, the existing domestic production capacity for 2024-25 is only 75,000 wheels. Hence, it has .

50 Amrit Bharat trains to be built at ICF within 2 years: Ashwini Vaishnaw

The Ministry of Railways has added 12 major improvements on the Amrit Bharat Version 2.0 trains and 50 such trains will be manufactured at ICF over the next two years, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said here on Friday. Vaishnaw, who inspected the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) along with its General Manager U Subba Rao, said the state government should place service to people above politics and the Centre and his Ministry is committed to take measures for the welfare of the people. "Very happy to see the Amrit Bharat Version 2.0 (being manufactured here). As you can recall, the Amrit Bharat Version 1.0 was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi last January 2024 and based on the experience in the last one year, many improvements have been made in the Amrit Bharat Version 2.0," Vaishnaw told reporters at the ICF here. Sharing some of the salient features that have been improved in the Amrit Bharat trains, he said, "12 major improvements have been done in the entire train. ...

Railways ministry spends 76% of FY25 capital expenditure by December

The ministry has spent Rs 1.91 trillion from the gross budgetary support, Rs 824 crore from external resources, and Rs 8,733 crore from extra-budgetary resources on infrastructure creation

Direct rail service to Kashmir won't negatively impact Jammu: Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday allayed fears of any negative fallout on Jammu after the launch of direct rail service between Kashmir and the rest of the country anytime soon, saying his government will ensure that the region benefits immensely by the completion of the long-pending project. Abdullah was speaking at a function organised here in connection with the virtual inauguration of the Jammu railway division by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the start of direct train service to Kashmir from Katra, with the final trial run scheduled for Tuesday. "Two days ago, we got this good news through media that the trial train reached Katra from Srinagar. It is expected that very soon, the prime minister will inaugurate this section which will complete the railway line and immensely benefit the people of the region," the chief minister said. However, he said there are some concerns among the people related to the rail service, especially in Jammu. "It is .

Time when the first bullet train will run in India is not far: PM Modi

The time when the first bullet train will run in India is not far, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday as he underlined the "rising" demand for high-speed trains from across the country and the sector's "historic transformation" under his government. Launching a slew of rail projects, including inauguration of the Jammu division, Modi said the Railways had undergone a historic transformation in the past decade. It has led to a change in India's image and a boost in people's morale, he said in a video address, with the chief ministers of Telangana, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir, besides other dignitaries, joining the programme from their respective states. People increasingly want to spend less time covering long distances, leading to a rise in the demand for high-speed trains, the prime minister said. More than 136 Vande Bharat trains are running on over 50 routes, he said, referring to a recent trial run in which the train clocked a speed of 180 kilometres per hour. "The t

Did Rajdhani trains run faster in 1973? The answer may surprise you

Once the pride of Indian Railways, the Rajdhani Express hasn't lived up to its speed promises decades later. The train seems to be stuck in a slow-motion time loop

14 trains running late due to dense fog, weather conditions: Railways

For the past several days, rail operations have been hit by inclement weather conditions, primarily dense fog

Services hit as 18 trains running late due to low visibility: Railways

Additional delays have been reported for trains such as the Goda Delhi Express (delayed by 70 minutes), the Bui NDLS Superfast Express (delayed by 65 minutes), and the Sadbhavana Express

Over 5 mn travelled in Namo Bharat trains since launch in Oct 2023: NCRTC

More than five million commuters have travelled in the Namo Bharat trains since the start of operations on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor in October 2023, a statement said on Wednesday. According to the data, the highest number of commuters travelled in Namo Bharat trains from the Ghaziabad and Meerut South stations on the corridor. The 17 km priority section (Sahibabad-Duhai Depot) of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor was inaugurated on October 23 last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Subsequently, Namo Bharat train services were extended to an additional 17 km section from Duhai to Modi Nagar North on March 6. Thereafter, on August 18, an additional eight km stretch from Modi Nagar North to Meerut South RRTS station was connected to the operational section, it said. Once Meerut was connected, the commuters' enthusiasm to travel on the Namo Bharat trains along the RRTS corridor surged, the statement said. On 19 August, a record 34,000 commuters travelled in

With Pali facility boost, DP World eyes logistics biz growth in India

Co has invested Rs 1800 crore in its railway and inland business

House panel for increased private participation in rail infrastructure

The committee also suggested that the railways should improve its finances by undertaking a comprehensive review of its passenger fares - which are typically subsidised by up to 46 per cent

Railways Amendment Bill passed; won't lead to privatisation, says Vaishnaw

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to amend Railway laws with the government insisting that it will not lead to the national carrier's privatisation. Responding to a debate on the Railway Amendment bill, Railway Minister Ashiwni Vaishnaw said in the Lower House that a fake narrative was set afloat that the amendment would privatise railways. "Their (opposition) fake narrative on Constitution has failed... now this will also fall flat," he asserted. The Bill was passed by a voice vote after debate which could not be held earlier due to frequent disruptions of House proceedings during the last week. "A few members have said the Bill will lead to privatisation of railways, an attempt has been made to set a fake narrative. I want to appeal to them with all sincerity not to do this, their one fake narrative about the Constitution has already failed," Vaishnaw said. The Railways (Amendment) Bill 2024 which seeks to enhance the functioning and independence of the Railway Board was

Railway stocks in demand; Jupiter, Titagarh, RailTel, RVNL rally up to 13%

Key projects, including the PLI scheme for train parts, Gati Shakti inclusion, redevelopment of railway stations, and the multitracking project, are opening unparalleled possibilities for the sector

Rail freight loading slowdown continues; November sees 1.4% growth

Data from the core sector up to October reveals a 5.3 per cent increase in electricity generation so far this year

Railways to run 13,000 trains for Maha Kumbh, says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said the Railways would run about 13,000 trains, including 3,000 special ones, for the convenience of devotees during the Maha Kumbh. The Union minister, who reached Prayagraj by train from Varanasi to review the Railways' preparations for the mega event, expects about 1.5 to 2 crore passengers to reach the city by train during the mela. The Maha Kumbh will commence on January 13 on the occasion of Paush Purnima and conclude on February 26 on Mahashivratri. After inspecting several stations under the Northeast Railway, Northern Railway and the North Central Railway in Prayagraj, the minister told reporters, "I also inspected the new bridge built over the Ganga, which will soon be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A new bridge has been built over the Ganga here after 100 years." "I personally inspected five stations. The holding areas at these stations, where the devotees will be able to sit till their trains arrive, are very good.

The Railways Amendment Bill 2024 seeks to simplify legal framework

Opposition fears privatisation

Delhi to Srinagar in 13 hrs: Vande Bharat train to be a reality in Jan 2025

The Delhi to Srinagar Vande Bharat sleeper train is set to begin operations in January 2025: Check project updates, stops, ticket prices, and more here

Railway collected Rs 12k cr from passenger services during festivals: Govt

Railways revenues from passenger services during the festive months of September and October in 2024 was Rs 12,159.35 crore, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday. TMC MP Mala Roy raised queries regarding the earnings of Railways through ticket sale and cancellation during festive months. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that from September 1 to October 31, 2024, passenger revenue of the Indian Railways is Rs 12,159.35 crore. Amount credited on account of cancellation of tickets by passengers is not maintained separately, Vaishnaw said. The minister also gave zone-wise data of number of passengers travelled during the period from September 1 to November 10, 2024, according to which, total 143.71 crore people took train journey between the said period and the highest number of travel among all zones was from the Central Railway Zone, ie, 31.63 crore. Further, to cater to the demand during festive season, Indian Railways notified 7,983 trips of

Konkan Railway needs major replacements to ensure safety, minister tells LS

The infrastructure of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited has become more than 25 years old, requiring major renewal of capital assets to ensure safety of traffic, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday. Vaishnaw said the infrastructure replacement requires major capital expenditure and the five shareholders of KRCL - Ministry of Railways, Government of Maharashtra, Government of Karnataka, Government of Goa and Government of Kerala - have been approached by the Ministry of Railways to contribute for capital expenditure or to relinquish their share in favour of the ministry. The minister replied to questions raised by BJP MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, who wanted to know the status of merger of Konkan Railway. There are five shareholders in Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) namely the Ministry of Railways, Government of Maharashtra, Government of Karnataka, Government of Goa and Government of Kerala, Vaishnaw said. The infrastruct

India's 1st hydrogen train to begin trials between Jind & Sonipat stations

India's first eco-friendly, zero-emission hydrogen-powered train aims to support India's net-zero carbon goals. It will run at a top speed of 110 kmph and reduce noise pollution