SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Railways on Sunday said sustained focus on innovation, indigenisation and infrastructure expansion is transforming Indian Railways into a world-class transport network, with several major projects and new-generation trains becoming operational across the country.
In a statement, the Ministry said Indian Railways is set to soon operationalise its first Vande Bharat Sleeper train for air-conditioned passengers, following the introduction of Amrit Bharat trains aimed at improving comfort for non-AC travellers. As of the 26th of this month, a total of 164 Vande Bharat train services are running on the national network, it added.
The Ministry said that during the current year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated 42 railway projects to the nation, inaugurated 13 projects and laid the foundation stone for 21 others, with a cumulative investment exceeding Rs 25,000 crore. These initiatives form part of a broader strategy to modernise rail infrastructure and enhance passenger and freight services.
Highlighting key infrastructure milestones, the Ministry said the 272-kilometre Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) was completed and dedicated in 2025. The strategically significant project includes 36 major tunnels and 943 bridges and has been executed in some of the world’s most challenging terrain. In the North-East, the 51-kilometre Bairabi–Sairang broad-gauge rail line in Mizoram was inaugurated in September 2025, bringing Aizawl onto India’s rail map for the first time.
The Ministry said Indian Railways is also implementing a series of capacity-building and efficiency-enhancing measures, including the commissioning of dedicated freight corridors to decongest existing routes and the promotion of public-private partnership models to supplement public investment. Sustainability and operational efficiency remain key focus areas, it added.
On passenger services and system security, the Ministry said Aadhaar-based user verification has been introduced this year to strengthen the rail ticketing ecosystem. Advanced technology is also being deployed to detect and prevent misuse of the e-ticketing system. As a result, 5.73 crore suspicious or inactive IRCTC user accounts have been deactivated or temporarily suspended, the Ministry said.
