Indian Railways Accelerates Reforms with “Better On-Board Services” and “High-Speed Cargo Terminals for Rail-Based Logistics”
New Delhi: Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications & Electronics and Information Technology, announced that in line with Indian Railways’ “52 Weeks, 52 Reforms” initiative for 2026, two major reforms have been approved and are being implemented immediately. He emphasized that reforms are not one-time events but a continuous process.
The Minister highlighted that Indian Railways is now the second-largest freight carrier in the world, with new-generation trains and operational innovations emerging across the system.
### Reform 1: Enhanced On-Board Services
From 2026 onward, Indian Railways will ensure comprehensive cleaning of all trains, including unreserved coaches, which historically were not fully integrated into cleaning protocols. The reforms include:
* Special focus on general coaches while maintaining continuous cleaning schedules for all trains.
* Identification of service providers for high-quality linen and coach cleaning.
* Deployment of AI-enabled monitoring systems to ensure quality.
* Appointment of personnel capable of minor mechanical and electrical repairs to provide integrated on-board services.
These measures aim to improve passenger comfort, particularly on long-distance trains, and promote disciplined, ticketed travel.
### Reform 2: Expansion of High-Speed Cargo Terminals
The second reform focuses on rail-based logistics through the development of 124 multi-modal cargo terminals, upgraded into “Cargo-Plus-Processing” hubs. Key highlights include:
* The initiative builds on the 2022 “Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal (GCT)” policy, which simplified cargo terminal approvals, reducing project timelines from six years to approximately three months.
* Engineering, signaling, and electrical plans are now streamlined for faster approvals.
* Each terminal is designed to handle approximately 20 million tonnes of traffic annually, with a potential revenue generation of around ₹20,000 crore per year.
* Integration of processing at terminals allows cement clinker, grains, and other cargo to be processed, packed, or value-added on-site, eliminating the need for external processing and attracting additional cargo traffic.
* Underutilized goods sheds will be redeveloped into GCTs and cargo facilities, with small connecting lines maintained by Indian Railways to improve safety and operational efficiency.
* Standardized layouts will enable automatic approvals for compliant developers, reducing delays and disputes.
* Contract durations for GCTs and cargo facilities have been extended from 35 to 50 years to encourage long-term investment.
The Minister cited bulk cement transport reforms as an example, where volumes more than doubled within a month, significantly reducing transport costs by up to 30% in Jammu & Kashmir and nearly 50% in Mizoram, while also reducing environmental pollution.
### Future Plans
Minister Vaishnaw added that seven additional reforms are in progress, with two expected to be unveiled this month, three at the beginning of March, and 30–40 other reforms already initiated. With structural improvements in passenger services and freight logistics, Indian Railways is embarking on an ambitious long-term transformation agenda aimed at efficiency, revenue growth, and sustainable operations.
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