India’s national transporter has unveiled plans for a major capacity augmentation drive aimed at easing congestion on some of the country’s busiest rail corridors connecting four major metropolitan cities.
Under the proposal, Indian Railways will lay fifth and sixth tracks along high-density routes that link Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The multi-tracking initiative is designed to separate passenger and freight traffic, improve punctuality and accommodate rising travel demand.
Officials said the identified corridors currently operate near saturation, with limited flexibility to introduce new services. The addition of extra lines is expected to significantly enhance throughput, reduce delays and strengthen long-distance connectivity between key economic hubs.
The expansion will also support the faster movement of freight trains, particularly on sections that form part of feeder routes to dedicated freight corridors. By easing bottlenecks, authorities aim to improve average train speeds and cut transit times for both passengers and cargo.
Project work will be undertaken in phases, with detailed surveys and land acquisition processes already underway in select stretches. Once completed, the initiative is expected to deliver long-term operational resilience and support India’s broader infrastructure modernisation push.
Railway officials indicated that the multi-tracking plan aligns with the government’s focus on expanding network capacity, improving safety and enhancing overall service reliability across the national rail grid.