**Executive Summary**
On April 3, 2026, Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw chaired a review meeting with railway officials to prioritize the travel experience of poor and middle-class passengers. The meeting highlighted record achievements in safety and freight while setting new directives for station cleanliness, fund utilization, and infrastructure design. Key action items include expediting land acquisition and adopting a humane approach toward resolving railway land encroachment.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Passenger Experience and Amenities**
* **Top Priority:** Enhancing the travel experience for poor and middle-class passengers is the primary focus of Indian Railways.
* **Station Standards:** Railway stations are to be maintained as the "face" of the organization, requiring dedicated efforts toward cleanliness and improved amenities.
* **Crowd Management:** Officials must ensure smooth platform access and train boarding during peak periods and festivals.
**Operational Achievements**
* **Safety and Freight:** The department noted a historic reduction in rail accidents and record-breaking freight loading.
* **Special Operations:** The successful operation of special trains during festivals was recognized for meeting high travel demands.
* **Punctuality:** Railway zones maintaining high levels of punctuality, particularly those exceeding 85%, received special appreciation.
**Infrastructure and Modernization**
* **Underpasses (Puliyas):** Accessible underpasses are to be prioritized over foot overbridges where feasible, as they are more user-friendly.
* **Pilot Projects:** New underpass designs will be tested via pilot projects to accommodate pedestrians, two-wheelers, and, in some cases, tractors in both urban and rural areas.
* **Fund Utilization:** Modernization funds must be utilized optimally to transform stations and passenger facilities.
**Administrative and Social Directives**
* **Land Acquisition:** Officials are directed to expedite pending land acquisition and may engage retired state revenue and forest officers to resolve bottlenecks.
* **Encroachment Issues:** Land encroachment near tracks must be handled with a "humane and sensitive approach" to ensure livelihoods are not adversely affected.
* **State Coordination:** Railway officials must coordinate closely with state governments to resolve sensitive urban land issues.
**Impact Analysis**
**Railway Officials and Staff**
**Impact**
They are tasked with higher accountability regarding cleanliness, punctuality, and fund management while receiving recognition for recent safety and freight successes.
**Action Required**
Must work collectively to improve passenger amenities, optimize modernization funds, and seek expert assistance to clear land acquisition bottlenecks.
**Poor and Middle-Class Passengers**
**Impact**
Will benefit from a passenger-centric approach, including better station facilities, improved crowd management, and more accessible track-crossing infrastructure.
**Action Required**
No specific action is required from this group based on the document.
**People Living Near Railway Tracks**
**Impact**
The shift to a humane resolution approach aims to protect their livelihoods during encroachment disputes.
**Action Required**
No specific action is mentioned, but they are the subjects of new coordination efforts between the Railways and state governments.
**State Revenue and Forest Departments**
**Impact**
Required to increase cooperation with the Ministry of Railways to resolve pending land issues.
**Action Required**
Collaborate with railway officials to expedite land acquisition and provide expertise to overcome administrative bottlenecks.
Key Entities Referenced
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw: Union Minister for Railways who chaired the review meeting and issued directives on passenger experience, safety, and infrastructure.
Ministry of Railways: The primary government body responsible for the policy directives regarding station cleanliness, land encroachment, and modernization funds.
Puliyas (Underpasses): Specific infrastructure projects prioritized over foot overbridges to provide convenient and accessible track crossing for pedestrians and light vehicles.
Railway modernization: An ongoing initiative focused on the optimal utilization of record fund allocations to transform stations and enhance passenger facilities.
Ministry of Railways
Providing Comfortable Ride & Better Travel
Experience to Poor and Middle Class is
Railways’ Top Priority: Union Minister Sh.
Ashwini Vaishnaw
Railway Minister Congratulates Rail Family for Historic
Reduction in Accidents, Record Freight Loading and
Operation of Special Trains
Railway Stations Are the Face of Indian Railways; Officials
Must Ensure Cleanliness with Dedicated Efforts: Sh. Ashwini
Vaishnaw
Ensure Livelihoods Are Not Affected; Officials Must Resolve
Sensitive Issue of Railway Land Encroachment with a
Humane Approach: Railway Minister
Give Priority to Convenient and Accessible Puliyas
(Underpasses) over Foot Overbridges for Crossing Railway
Tracks Both in Station Premises & Outside
Posted On: 03 APR 2026 5:02PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology,
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, today chaired a review meeting with railway officials across the country at Rail
Bhawan, New Delhi.
The Union Minister emphasized that providing a good travel experience to the poor and middle class
remains the top priority of Indian Railways. He called upon all officials to work collectively towards this
goal. Shri Vaishnaw also congratulated the entire Railway family for their commendable performance last
year. He highlighted that the historic reduction in rail accidents and record freight loading have
significantly improved the image of Indian Railways across the country. He also appreciated the effective
operation of a large number of special trains during festivals, which helped meet the increased demand for
travel.
Highlighting the importance of passenger experience, the Union Minister stated that railway stations are
the face of Indian Railways before the public and must be kept clean and well-maintained. He urged
officials to work with full dedication to ensure cleanliness and improved passenger amenities at allstations. Referring to the record allocation for railway modernization in the past decade, he emphasized
that officials must ensure optimal utilization of funds to transform railway stations and enhance passenger
facilities.
The Union Minister stressed that crowd management during peak periods, especially festivals, should
ensure that passengers can reach platforms and board trains smoothly and without inconvenience. He
directed officials to prioritise the use of allocated funds for improving passenger convenience and
accessibility.
The issue of pending land acquisition for ongoing railway projects was also discussed. Shri Vaishnaw
directed officials to expedite the process and, if required, seek the expertise of experienced retired officers
of state revenue and forest departments to overcome bottlenecks.
Addressing the sensitive issue related to people living near railway tracks, the Union Minister emphasized
that livelihoods must not be adversely affected. He directed railway officials to adopt a humane and
sensitive approach in resolving such matters, in coordination with state governments. He noted that this is
a significant issue in many urban areas and requires timely and compassionate resolution.
The meeting also reviewed the earlier decision regarding construction of rail underpasses (Puliyas). It was
decided that, wherever feasible, convenient and accessible underpasses should be prioritised over foot
overbridges for crossing railway tracks, both within station premises and outside. The Minister noted that
underpasses are more user-friendly and are likely to be used more frequently by the public.
It was further decided to undertake pilot projects in different parts of the country to construct such
underpasses. These will be designed to facilitate movement not only for pedestrians but also for cycles,
scooters and motorcycles, and in some cases, wider structures will allow movement of tractors and other
vehicles. Designs will be tailored to meet the requirements of both urban and rural areas.
The Union Railway Minister also appreciated the performance of zones in ensuring punctual train
operations. He congratulated zones that have maintained high levels of punctuality and particularly
appreciated those that have improved their performance by ensuring more than 85% punctuality despite
operational challenges.
Shri Vaishnaw reiterated that with sustained efforts, efficient planning and a passenger-centric approach,
Indian Railways will continue to enhance safety, service quality and overall travel experience for
passengers across the country.
*****
Dharmendra Tewari/ Dr. Nayan Solanki/ Ritu Raj
(Release ID: 2248814) Visitor Counter : 350
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