Before the new Railway Minister is appointed let us briefly review the performance of the ministry.

We have heard the usual declarations that Indian Railways (IR) was merely a cash cow until 2014 but the sector has since been nurtured with unprecedented investment, increasing from ₹35,000 crore to approximately ₹2.6 lakh crore annually. This shift is commendable, considering that Railways are three times cheaper and 10 times cleaner compared to road.

However, should we not expect some benefits like increased modal share for IR 10 years after this significant push? The Ministry stated that with India’s economy growing at 7-8 per cent, IR should grab a significant part of the additional cargo to reduce the country’s logistics cost and damage to environment. But IR has not been able to add any significant cargo in 2023-24 and its modal share has now dropped to less than 27 per cent.

Lack of integration of cargo origins and destinations with IR’s network remains an issue. The Gati Shakti initiative with a multi-modal terminal policy of 2021 aims at IR to achieving 50 per cent modal share by 2047, reducing the country’s logistics cost to around 8 per cent of GDP.

It envisaged setting up 160 terminals and more than 60 have been commissioned. However, although IR should have transported 2100 million tonnes in 2023-24 to meet the National Rail Plan target of 3,000 million tonnes by 2027, all it could manage was just below 1,600 million tonnes, which is a huge miss.

Freight plan

The DFCs were envisioned to enhance IR’s freight transport capacity. While over 200 trains now operate on DFCs, this is less than 50 per cent of the intended capacity. The EDFC, spanning 1,337 km from Son Nagar to Ludhiana, has improved transit times for coal from mines to power plants but the original route up to Dankuni remains on paper.

Although 1,506 km WDFC from Dadri to Mumbai has reduced EXIM traffic transit time by 50 per cent, the connection to JNPT port is not expected to be operational until late next year. Nobody is even asking for the RoI of the project as it is going to be abysmal, but should the project not be completed faster with more intense execution to realize full benefits?

IR’s progress in electrification has positioned India as a global leader with nearly 100 per cent of its rail network electrified. While there was an inevitability about this project to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, has this progress outpaced necessity, leaving approximately 5,000 diesel locomotives, valued at around ₹30,000 crore, idle or under-utilized? Is there any action plan for disposal of these costly assets? Additionally, have the savings from electrification been transparently reported?

An optimum mix of public and private participation in the rail sector is essential for ensuring social responsibilities along with efficiencies; but PPP and increased role of private players in rail sector seem to have been dismissed due to the complexities involved.

Does this mean that initiatives such as PPPs in station modernization, private operation of premium trains, and the expansion of private freight train operators beyond container transport have been dumped? Has the corporatization, let alone privatization, of rolling stock manufacture — a part of the government’s 100-day plan in 2019 — been abandoned? What then is the strategic planning in execution of these ambitious projects to ensure that the benefits are fully realized and resources are optimally utilized?

Likely completion in 2024 of the much-delayed J&K rail link project signifying integration of the valley with the rest of the country raised so much euphoria. Will the technical challenge at Tunnel 1 near Katra further delay the project considerably, going well into 2025?

After decades of hype surrounding the redevelopment of railway stations, with tangible results seen only in Gandhinagar and Habibgunj, IR has now introduced Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, which aims to transform 550 stations. The critical question remains: Will these stations be functionally-efficient alongside their glitzy facades and embellishments? Key factors include easy entry and exit, smooth boarding and deboarding processes, controlled access to platforms, effective passenger information systems (PIS), and maintaining hygienic conditions.

Safety first

IR’s safety record has generally improved despite several fatal accidents in 2023 but it is crucial to prioritise modern safety initiatives. One significant development is Kavach, an indigenous signalling system designed to enhance capacity and safety. Its deployment has been very slow.

Additionally, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse and generate meaningful alerts from the extensive data related to train operations — such as station data loggers, axle counters, and the advanced microprocessors on locomotives and trains — remains grossly underutilised. AI-enabled algorithms not only for quick post-mortem but for real-time alert generation could enhance monitoring and foster a culture of safety consciousness.

While many Vande Bharat trains boast of high occupancy, some do not and should not have been deployed at all. It has been known that after a certain number of day-trains, typically around 45-50, IR might face challenges in deploying these trains effectively and profitably unless a sleeper version is introduced.

A well-managed Vande Bharat Rajdhani could be a game-changer for IR. The sleeper version is unlikely to be deployed commercially in 2024 begging the question: Why has the ICF team, which developed the completely new Train 18 design in 18 months, not been able to make a much simpler modification for a sleeper version in nearly six years since the prototype was introduced?

The list of concerns is extensive. There are other key issues, such as: speed of track upgradation, elimination of waiting lists, comfortable travel for lower classes, modern maintenance systems, export strategy and rethink of the failed IRMS experiment for induction of executives.

The Ministry has been very eloquent, but more meaningful action is awaited.

The writer is retd. GM, Indian Railways, Leader of Train 18/Vande Bharat project and Independent Rail Consultant

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