India is leading the charge in rail electrification, with the nation's rail network now extending to 68,000 km, according to Mukul Saran Mathur, Additional Member, Commercial, Ministry of Railways. Speaking at the ASSOCHAM National Conference in New Delhi, Mathur highlighted the significant role of the Indian railway system, which accommodates 20 million passengers daily and has recently operated over 5,000 special trains to assist migrant workers. The Vande Bharat trains were also recognised as a key ?flagship product? in India's ongoing rail modernisation efforts.

The Indian government has committed Rs 850 billion for railway expansion in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Among the improvements is a faster ticket refund process, now completed within one to two business days.

Deepak Sharma from ASSOCHAM emphasized that modernising the railways is central to India's vision of 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India), aiming to improve connectivity and drive economic growth. Additionally, Sanjay Bajpai from the National Council on Logistics and Warehousing highlighted the role of AI and machine learning in achieving 100% cargo visibility and last-mile connectivity through the Gati Shakti plan.

Animesh Gupta, Goldratt Research Labs underscored the need to increase rail freight share to 40% and reduce the environmental impact of railway operations. Manish Puri of ACTO and Moonish Ghuge, ABB India Ltd stressed the importance of modern safety measures and infrastructure to meet growing trade demands and ensure passenger safety.

The conference discussions emphasised the importance of transparency and reliability in implementing transformative technological solutions for India's railways.

(Financial express)