Bill to give more powers to GMs of railway zones gets Parliament's nod with Rajya Sabha passage

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu):  The landmark Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on Monday received the Parliament's nod with the Rajya Sabha clearing the provision, aimed at giving more financial powers to field officers for streamlining and modernising railway operations in India. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in December last year. Addressing the upper house, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasised the bill's role in empowering field offices, enhancing efficiency. He said that the Bill is designed to simplify existing laws and promote decentralisation by granting full authority to general managers in railway zones to approve projects up to Rs 1,000 crore. The passing of this bill marks a significant milestone in India’s railway modernisation journey, ensuring safer, more efficient, and passenger-friendly services for the future, he added. The Indian Railways functions through its zones, divisions, and production units under the supervision of the Railway Board. The Railway Board also makes all the policy decisions for Railway operations.

The Railways (Amendment) Act, 2025 will replace the colonial period provisions. Now the provision for the Railway Board will be incorporated into the Railways Act, 1989. The new Act will reduce reference to two Acts as only one Act will need to be referred to. However, the nature, scope and functioning of the Railway Board, zones, divisions, production units etc. will remain the same. Highlighting the government’s commitment to state-wise railway development, Vaishnaw cited substantial budget allocations in states where the ruling party is not in power. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and West Bengal have all received significantly higher allocations compared to previous administrations, the minister pointed out. Over the past 11 years, 34,000 kilometres of new railway tracks have been laid, surpassing Germany’s total rail network. Additionally, electrification of 45,000 kilometres has been completed, significantly reducing dependence on fossil fuels and 50,000 kilometres of old tracks have been replaced with new, high-quality rails, he said.

Investment in railway safety has also surged from Rs 8,000 crore under previous administrations to Rs 1.14 lakh crore under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the minister said. Rail fractures have reduced by 91 per cent with incidents decreasing from 2,548 in 2013-14 to just a fraction today. The introduction of the Kavach safety system, with SIL 4 certification, ensures high-level security in railway operations, he added. The minister also highlighted that more than 5,02,000 jobs have been provided in the Indian Railways under the NDA government, compared to 4,11,000 during the UPA era. Large-scale recruitment exams have been conducted transparently, with millions of candidates participating, Vaishnaw said. Besides, enhanced training programmes on the iGOT platform have seen maximum enrolment from railway employees, he pointed out. Mentioning the improvement in passenger amenities and modernisation in Indian Railways, Vaishnaw said 3,10,000 modern toilets have been installed in railway coaches, dramatically improving hygiene standards. As many as 558 running rooms for loco pilots are now fully air-conditioned to provide more comfort and enhance efficiency. New locomotives are being manufactured with state-of-the-art technology and improved working conditions. Vaishnaw also addressed concerns regarding crowd management at railway stations, particularly in light of recent incidents. He announced that full access control will be implemented at 60 major railway stations, ensuring only ticketed passengers can enter platforms. Besides, special trains will be stationed near high-traffic stations to accommodate unexpected surges in passenger numbers. In conclusion, the Minister reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India), urging railway employees and stakeholders to work three times harder to build on the strong foundation laid in the past decade.