Indian Railways Announces Quadrupling of Seven Major Corridors to Ease Congestion

Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday that Indian Railways is expanding its trunk routes by quadrupling seven major rail corridors across the country. The initiative is designed to permanently resolve network congestion and reduce train delays caused by heavy freight movement and high passenger volumes.

Speaking at a press conference, Vaishnaw stated that the rail network is currently experiencing peak congestion driven by the movement of coal and other goods. Over the past decade, 36,000 kilometres of additional tracks have been laid to manage rising traffic, but the government maintains that further capacity building is essential to provide a lasting solution.

To create long-term capacity and tackle long passenger waiting lists, the government has prioritized four-lining key national rail routes that connect major economic hubs. The infrastructure projects focus on quadrupling the major routes linking the Golden Quadrilateral—connecting Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai—as well as crucial diagonal corridors including Delhi to Chennai, Mumbai to Kolkata, and Delhi to Guwahati.

Highlighting the frequency of government approvals for railway developments, Vaishnaw noted that new projects are frequently cleared in nearly every second or third cabinet meeting. These projects form the core of the ongoing strategy to expand national rail infrastructure.

Once the four-lining work is completed, Indian Railways expects to operate over 1,000 additional regular trains. Officials anticipate that this capacity addition will significantly alleviate pressure on waiting lists and improve reservation availability for passengers.

"Large-scale infrastructure investments, such as the quadrupling of major rail corridors, have a direct bearing on the broader business and logistics ecosystem in India. By addressing chronic bottlenecks in freight and passenger movement, these capacity upgrades will improve supply chain efficiency and transit reliability. For businesses relying heavily on rail transport for goods like coal and industrial raw materials, this expansion represents a necessary step toward reducing transit delays and supporting long-term economic growth." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes