Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Indian Railways had a successful year in FY 2025–26, setting records in freight loading and enhancing passenger services, safety systems, and digital initiatives. The railways transported a historic high of 1,670 million tonnes of freight, showcasing its capability in handling essential commodities like coal, cement, fertilizers, and food grains.
The Minister highlighted the remarkable progress made, emphasizing the record-breaking performance in both freight and passenger services. The expansion of Vande Bharat services, including sleeper variants, and the continuous improvements in safety and infrastructure were also noted.
With approximately 25,000 trains operating daily, the rail operations remained strong. To cater to peak demand periods, additional special trains were introduced to improve passenger convenience and accessibility, as mentioned by the Union Minister.
Indian Railways focused on manufacturing, producing 1,674 locomotives and 6,677 LHB coaches, aligning with the ‘Make in India’ initiative to enhance safety and travel comfort. The modernization of passenger services continued with the introduction of Vande Bharat Sleeper trains, complementing existing services for long-distance travel.
Safety measures were accelerated through the expansion of the indigenous Kavach Automatic Train Protection System, covering over 3,100 route kilometers and ongoing implementation on an additional 24,400 km. The digital transformation drive included the launch of the RailOne App, offering a unified platform for ticket booking, train inquiries, and grievance redressal.
Efforts to enhance transparency resulted in the removal of over 3.04 crore suspicious user accounts. Infrastructure development progressed with the establishment of 35 Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals and the renovation of 119 stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Moreover, connectivity was improved with the extension of rail links to Aizawl (Mizoram) and enhanced all-weather connectivity to Jammu and Kashmir.
