Indian Railways renews 54,600 km of tracks since 2014, boosting speed potential and safety
Indian Railways has renewed nearly 54,600 kilometres of railway tracks between 2014 and February 2026 as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance train safety, reliability and speed across the national rail network.
The information was shared by Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Vaishnaw said that track renewal is a continuous process carried out based on factors such as the age of the track, traffic load and overall condition. The works are prioritised to ensure that railway tracks remain safe for train operations at permitted speeds.
Faster railway network
The extensive modernisation and maintenance efforts have significantly improved the speed potential of railway tracks across the network.
Over 80 per cent of the railway network is now capable of sectional speeds of 110 kmph and above, compared with about 40 per cent in 2014.
The length of tracks capable of supporting speeds of 130 kmph and above has increased more than threefold, rising from 5,036 km (6.3%) in 2014 to 23,713 km (22.4%) in 2026.
Similarly, tracks supporting speeds between 110 kmph and 130 kmph increased from 26,409 km to 62,036 km during the same period. The proportion of tracks supporting speeds below 110 kmph has reduced significantly from 60.4 per cent to 18.9 per cent.
Robust inspection and monitoring
Vaishnaw said train safety remains the top priority, supported by a comprehensive system of track inspection and maintenance.
Railway tracks are regularly inspected through daily patrols, on-foot inspections, trolley inspections and footplate or rear-window inspections conducted by designated officials. Advanced monitoring systems such as Track Recording Cars (TRC) and the Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS) are also used to assess track geometry and overall health across the network.
Modern technologies for track upgrades
Indian Railways has introduced several technological upgrades to improve track strength, safety and maintenance efficiency.
Modern track structures using 60 kg high-strength rails, pre-stressed concrete sleepers and elastic fastenings are now widely used. Other improvements include the use of thick web switches, weldable CMS crossings and thicker switch expansion joints.
The railways have also increased the use of 260-metre-long rail panels, reducing the need for welded joints and improving ride quality and safety.
Maintenance operations have increasingly shifted to mechanised systems, with high-output tamping machines, rail grinding machines and track-laying machines such as PQRS, TRT and T-28 being deployed to improve reliability and efficiency.
Advanced monitoring and analytics
Modern monitoring tools such as Integrated Track Monitoring Systems (ITMS) and web-enabled Track Management Systems (TMS) are being used to analyse inspection data and guide maintenance planning.
Additional safety measures include the interlocking of level crossing gates, advanced phased array technology for testing rails and welds, and portable track measuring trolleys for monitoring track parameters in railway yards.
The Minister said the continuous strengthening and modernisation of track infrastructure will help improve train speeds, passenger comfort and operational safety across the country.
