Indian Railways Continues Push for Affordable Passenger Fares and Freight Services

The Ministry of Railways has shared a detailed update on its efforts to keep travel affordable while expanding freight capacity:

Passenger Fares
- No Increase for General Class: Up to 500 km, fares remain unchanged.
- Minimal Fare Rationalization (from July 1, 2025):
- General Class (beyond 500 km): +0.5 paisa/km
- Sleeper Class Ordinary & First-Class Ordinary: +0.5 paisa/km
- Non-AC Mail/Express: +1 paisa/km
- Reserved AC Classes: +2 paisa/km
- Monthly Season Tickets (MST) & Suburban Travel: No revision, ensuring affordability for low- and middle-income families.
- Subsidy Support: ₹60,000 crore subsidy extended to keep passenger travel affordable.

Freight Services
- Freight Rates: Unchanged since 2018, despite rising input costs, to remain competitive.
- Freight Loading Achievement: 1,617 MT in 2024–25, making Indian Railways the world’s second-largest freight carrier.

Infrastructure & Expansion
- New Tracks Commissioned:
- 2009–14: 7,599 km
- 2014–25: 34,428 km
- Projects Sanctioned (as of April 2025): 431 projects (154 new lines, 33 gauge conversions, 244 doubling/multi-tracking).
- Dedicated Freight Corridors:
- Eastern (Ludhiana–Sonnagar, 1,337 km)
- Western (JNPT–Dadri, 1,506 km)
- 96.4% commissioned (2,741 km operational).
- Electrification: 99.1% of Broad Gauge network electrified (up from 21,801 km pre-2014 to 46,900 km by 2025).
- Rolling Stock: 2 lakh wagons and 10,000+ locomotives added (2014–25).
- Cargo Terminals: 118 new Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals commissioned, with 192 MTPA capacity.
- Special Policies: Bulk Cement Terminal Policy launched to facilitate industry-specific freight.

Modernization & Efficiency
- Yard remodeling, bypass lines, flyovers to remove bottlenecks.
- IT-driven freight operations for better monitoring.
- Longer freight trains, higher horsepower locomotives, and improved maintenance practices.
- Industry participation in specialized wagons (cement, oil, steel, automobiles).

👉 This comprehensive push balances affordable passenger travel with world-class freight expansion, positioning Indian Railways as a backbone of India’s transport and logistics ecosystem.