**Summary:**
In response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1838, addressed on July 30, 2025, by Shri. Bidyut Baran Mahato, the Ministry of Railways provides details regarding the Mission Raftaar scheme. Announced in the Railway Budget 2016-17, Mission Raftaar aims to increase the average speed of both freight and passenger trains. The initiative focuses on continuous upgrades to tracks, signaling systems, overhead equipment (OHE), locomotives, and coaches.
Medium- and long-term plans involve infrastructure improvements such as constructing 3rd and 4th lines, bypasses, rail flyovers, right powering of trains, replacing conventional trains with Mainline Electric Multiple Units (MEMUs), time-tabling changes, and modifying the 1x25 KV traction system to a 2x25 KV traction system. Track upgrades, including the use of 60 kg rails, wider base concrete sleepers, thick web switches, longer rail panels, H Beam sleepers, and modern track renewal and maintenance machines, have significantly increased track speed potential.
As a result of these measures, the speed potential of railway tracks has increased substantially between 2014 and 2025. In 2014, 47,897 track kilometers (60.4%) had a sectional speed of 110 kmph, 26,409 track kilometers (33.3%) had a speed potential between 110-130 kmph, and 5,036 track kilometers (6.3%) had a speed potential above 130 kmph. By 2025, these figures changed to 22,862 track kilometers (21.6%) at 110 kmph, 59,800 track kilometers (56.6%) between 110-130 kmph, and 23,010 track kilometers (21.8%) above 130 kmph, out of a total of 105,672 track kilometers.
Two major routes, New Delhi-Mumbai and New Delhi-Howrah, part of the Golden Quadrilateral, are being upgraded to enhance speed potential up to 160 kmph. Indian Railways is also introducing Vande Bharat Trains and converting passenger trains to Vande Metro type services for higher acceleration and deceleration. Furthermore, 1337 km of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor and 1404 km of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor have been commissioned, enabling freight trains to operate at higher speeds.
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting, and Electronics Information Technology, provided this information.
Key Entities Referenced
Mission Raftaar: A scheme announced in the Railway Budget 2016-17 by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, aimed at increasing the average speed of freight and superfast mail/express trains.
SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: Member of LOK SABHA who raised the unstarred question regarding Mission Raftaar.
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology, who provided the answer to the LOK SABHA question.
Railway Budget 2016-17: The annual financial statement in which Mission Raftaar was announced.
Golden Quadrilateral: A network connecting India's four top metropolitan cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
New Delhi Mumbai: A major route of the Golden Quadrilateral, being enhanced for speed potential up to 160 kmph.
New Delhi Howrah: A major route of the Golden Quadrilateral, being enhanced for speed potential up to 160 kmph.
Indian Railways: The state-owned railway company of India, responsible for the development and operation of the railway network.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1838
TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2025
‘MISSION RAFTAAR’ SCHEME
1838. SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the objectives and achievements of the ‘Mission Raftaar’ scheme to
enhance average train speeds for both passenger and freight services.
(b) the infrastructure improvements made under this mission, including track
doubling, electrification and signalling upgrades; and
(c) whether any third-party evaluation have been carried out to assess the
impact of the scheme and if so, the details and the outcomes of such
reviews?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (c) Mission Raftaar was announced in the Railway Budget 2016-17 with
the target of increasing the average speed of freight and superfast
mail/express trains. Speeding up of trains is a constant endeavor and a
continuous process which is dependent upon upgradation of tracks, signaling
system, OHE, high powered locos, modern coaches etc.
The medium-term and long-term plans to achieve the Mission include
infrastructure improvement i.e. construction of 3rd line, 4th line, providing
bypasses, rail flyovers, right powering of trains, replacement of conventionalloco hauled trains by MEMUs, time tabling changes, modification of 1x25 KV
traction system to 2x25 KV traction system etc.
Upgradation and improvement of railway tracks on Indian Railways to
increase the speed potential have been carried out in a big way during last
10 years. The measures for track upgradation include use of 60 kg rails,
wider base concrete sleepers, thick web switches, longer rail panels, H
Beam sleepers, modern track renewal and maintenance machines etc.
As a result of above measures, there has been significant increase in speed
potential of the tracks. The details of speed potential of railway tracks
during 2014 vis a vis 2025 are as under.
2014 2025
Sectional Speed (kmph) Track Km % Track Km %
< 110 47,897 60.4 22,862 21.6
110-130 26,409 33.3 59,800 56.6
130 & above 5,036 6.3 23,010 21.8
Total 79,342 100 1,05,672 100
Two major routes i.e. New Delhi – Mumbai & New Delhi – Howrah of the
Golden Quadrilateral have been taken up for enhancing the speed potential
upto 160 kmph.
Indian Railways are inter alia proliferating Vande Bharat Trains which have
higher speed potential, converting passenger trains operating with
conventional coaches into Vande Metro type services (which have higher
acceleration/deceleration owing to distrusted power).
Indian Railway has already commissioned 1337 Km of Eastern Dedicated
Freight Corridor and 1404 Km of Western dedicated Freight Corridor which
has enabled freight trains to run at higher speed.
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