**Policy Summary: Expansion of Railway Infrastructure in India**
This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Railways' response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 655 regarding the survey and construction of new railway lines, particularly in hilly and rural areas.
The Ministry of Railways sanctions and executes railway projects zone-wise, based on factors including remunerativeness, traffic projections, last-mile connectivity, demands from stakeholders, and operational requirements. Project selection also considers socio-economic factors, the status of ongoing projects, and overall funding availability.
Over the past three fiscal years (FY 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25) and the current FY 2025-26, 267 new line surveys, totaling 25,740 km, have been sanctioned across the country. During the same period, 171 new line surveys covering 14,480 km were completed.
As of April 1, 2025, Indian Railways had 431 sanctioned railway infrastructure projects, including 154 new line projects, 33 gauge conversion projects, and 244 doubling projects. These projects encompass a total length of 35,966 km with an estimated cost of ₹6.75 lakh crore. As of March 2025, 12,769 km of this length has been commissioned, with an expenditure of approximately ₹2.91 lakh crore.
A breakdown of the sanctioned projects is as follows:
* **New Lines:** 154 projects, 16,142 km total length, 3,036 km commissioned, ₹1,45,318 crore expenditure.
* **Gauge Conversion:** 33 projects, 4,180 km total length, 2,997 km commissioned, ₹22,753 crore expenditure.
* **Doubling/Multitracking:** 244 projects, 15,644 km total length, 6,736 km commissioned, ₹1,22,858 crore expenditure.
The average commissioning rate of new tracks has increased significantly, from 4.2 km/day during 2009-14 to 8.57 km/day during 2014-25.
Detailed zone-wise and year-wise information on all railway projects is available on the Indian Railways website.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The Indian government ministry responsible for the country's railway system.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question originated.
Dr. Faggan Singh Kulaste: Member of Parliament who raised the question about new railway lines.
Ashwini Vaishnaw: Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology, who provided the answer.
Indian Railways: The state-owned railway company of India.
New Line surveys: Surveys conducted for the purpose of establishing new railway lines.
Gauge Conversion: Converting railway tracks to a different gauge.
Doubling: Adding a second track to an existing single-track railway line.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 655
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025
NEW RAILWAY LINES IN HILLY AND RURAL AREAS
†655. DR. FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the survey of new railway lines in hilly and rural areas
is proposed, if so, the details thereof;
(b) if so, whether previous surveys have been identified at present;
and
(c) if so, the number of new Railway lines have been surveyed in
the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (c): Railway projects are surveyed/ sanctioned/executed Zonal
Railway wise and not State-wise as the Railway’ projects may span
across State boundaries. Railway projects are sanctioned on the
basis of remunerativeness, traffic projections, last mile connectivity
including hilly and rural areas, missing links and alternate routes,
augmentation of congested/saturated lines, demands raised by
State Governments, Central Ministries, Members of Parliament,
other public representatives, Railway’s own operational
requirement, socio-economic considerations etc. depending upon
throwforward of ongoing projects and overall availability of funds.
..P/2-:2:-
During the last three years i.e. FY 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and the
current FY 2025-26, 267 New Line surveys of a total length of 25,740
km have been sanctioned throughout the country including hilly and
rural areas.
Similarly, during the last three years i.e. FY 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-
25 and the current FY 2025-26, 171 New Line surveys of a total
length of 14,480 km have been completed throughout the country
including hilly and rural areas.
As on 01.04.2025, across Indian Railways, 431 Railway
infrastructure projects (154 New Line, 33 Gauge Conversion and 244
Doubling) of total length 35,966 Km, costing approx. 6.75 lakh crore
are sanctioned including hilly and rural areas, out of which, 12,769
Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of approx.
2.91 lakh crore has been incurred upto March, 2025. The summary
is as under:-
Total Length
Total Exp
No of Length Commissioned
Category upto Mar'25
Projects NL/GC/DL till Mar'25
( in Crore)
(km) (Km)
New Lines 154 16,142 3,036 1,45,318
Gauge
33 4,180 2,997 22,753
Conversion
Doubling /
244 15,644 6,736 1,22,858
Multitracking
Total 431 35,966 12,769 2,90,929
..P/3-:3:-
Zone-wise/year-wise details of all Railway projects are made
available in public domain on Indian Railway’s website.
The details of commissioning/laying of new track across Indian
Railways is given below:-
New track
Period Average commissioning of new tracks
Commissioned
2009-14 7,599 Km 4.2 Km/day
2014-25 34,428 Km 8.57 Km/day ( more than 2 times)
******