Big four-tracking push! Railways to expand on 7 high-density routes - why it matters

Indian Railways, commonly called the national transporter, is now working to increase its passenger and freight carrying capacity on its highest density routes that often see demand outpace supply.Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has shared a plan to expand tracks on seven high density routes, introducing four lanes or four tracks to cater to the growing demand.India’s seven high-density railway routes, covering about 11,000 km, are being expanded to four tracks to handle more passenger and freight traffic across the country, Vaishnaw said recently."Spread across nearly 11,000 km, these routes account for around 41 per cent of total railway traffic while covering just 16 per cent of the railway network," he said on X, highlighting the importance of these corridors, which carry a substantial portion of India’s overall rail traffic.Seven High Density Routes In FocusThe seven high-density routes link some of the country’s major cities and regions.