Indian Railways to Expand 7 High-Density Routes to Four Tracks Across 11,000 km

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday (August 26, 2026) said Indian Railways is moving towards four-tracking seven high-density corridors spread across nearly 11,000 km, as per an Economic Times report.  

The routes carry both passenger and freight traffic and link several of the country’s largest cities. 

41% of Traffic on Seven Routes 

The seven corridors account for around 41% of total railway traffic, although they cover only 16% of the national railway network, Vaishnaw said. This includes some of the most heavily used routes in the system. 

The corridors are Delhi–Howrah, Howrah–Chennai, Chennai–Mumbai, Mumbai–Delhi, Delhi–Chennai, Mumbai–Howrah and Delhi–Guwahati. 

Different Stages of Work 

Four-tracking is already in place on parts of these routes. Other stretches have been approved or are under construction, while Detailed Project Reports are being prepared or considered for the remaining sections. 

A map shared by Vaishnaw showed these different stages across the network. Blue sections marked routes with four existing lines, red indicated approved or ongoing work, and yellow marked stretches where DPRs were under preparation or being examined. 

The nearly 11,000 km network is therefore not being taken up for construction at one time. 

Passenger and Freight Capacity 

The additional tracks are expected to provide more space for trains on routes where traffic is concentrated. Vaishnaw said the work is intended to reduce congestion, allow more trains to run, and improve journey times. 

The project also covers the freight movement. According to the minister, additional capacity on these routes is needed as passenger and goods traffic grows, with rail transport also seen as a way to reduce freight costs. 

Part of Railway Spending 

The four-tracking plan comes alongside other railway projects. The railway budget has increased from ₹32,000 crore in 2014-15 to ₹2.78 lakh crore in FY2026-27. 

Rail electrification stood at 99.6% in July 2026. Other ongoing work includes Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat services, Kavach Version 4.0, station redevelopment and the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor. 

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Conclusion 

The four-tracking plan covers seven high-density corridors carrying around 41% of India’s railway traffic. Work is underway or planned across stretches spanning nearly 11,000 km. 

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