Indian Railways has approved infrastructure and technology upgrades valued at more than INR 7.65 billion across multiple sections of its network to strengthen operations, expand line capacity, and modernise communication systems. The works include upgrades to electric traction systems on two railway corridors and expansion of optical fibre communication infrastructure in Western Railway divisions.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Railways said the approved projects include traction upgrades on the Duvvada–Visakhapatnam–Vizianagaram section of East Coast Railway, the Raichur–Guntakal section under South Central Railway, and expansion of the optical fibre communication backbone across the Vadodara and Mumbai Central divisions of Western Railway.
Indian Railways has sanctioned INR 3.18 billion to upgrade the electric traction system on the 106 km Duvvada–Visakhapatnam–Vizianagaram section. The project will convert the existing 1×25 kV traction system to a 2×25 kV configuration to increase power supply capacity and support higher freight loading and improved speed potential along the corridor.
The section forms part of the Howrah–Chennai route and supports transportation of minerals and industrial goods from Odisha and Chhattisgarh to Visakhapatnam Port. The upgrade is intended to improve reliability of freight movement and passenger train operations along the high-density corridor.
Indian Railways has also sanctioned INR 2.59 billion for upgrading the electric traction system on the 126 km Raichur–Guntakal section spanning Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh under the Guntakal Division of South Central Railway. The work will convert the existing 1×25 kV system to a 2×25 kV configuration to enable higher train loads, improved speeds, and greater operational reliability.
The Raichur–Guntakal section is part of the Mumbai–Chennai route and supports both freight and passenger services. The upgrade will strengthen traction power supply capacity and support faster passenger operations, including Vande Bharat trains.
Separately, Indian Railways has sanctioned INR 1.88 billion for strengthening the communication backbone in the Vadodara and Mumbai Central divisions of Western Railway. The project provides for installation of a 4×48 core optical fibre cable backbone architecture to increase bandwidth and provide network redundancy for railway communication systems.
Under the project, optical fibre cables will be laid over 1,000 route kilometres, including 692 km in the Vadodara division and 308 km in the Mumbai division. The infrastructure will support LTE-based Kavach and other railway communication systems.
The projects form part of a nationwide programme included in the 2024–25 Railway Budget aimed at modernising electric traction systems, expanding digital communication infrastructure, and supporting higher freight loading capacity across the railway network.
Indian Railways operates the national railway network in India, providing passenger and freight transport across multiple corridors and supporting movement of industrial commodities, bulk cargo, and passenger services across the country.
