Parliament Passes Railways (Amendment) Bill: Focus on Infrastructure, Technology, and Safety


Introduction

On Monday, Parliament passed the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2025, marking a significant step in streamlining and modernizing Indian Railways. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the government's focus on infrastructure, technology, and safety while ensuring efficiency in railway operations.

Key Highlights of the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2025

✅ Simplifying Laws & Empowering Railway Zones

  • The new bill simplifies existing railway laws, reducing reliance on multiple acts.
  • It grants General Managers of railway zones full authority to approve projects up to ₹1,000 crore, fostering decentralization and cooperative federalism.
  • The Railway Board will continue overseeing the functioning of zones, divisions, and production units.

🚆 Infrastructure Development

  • In the past 11 years, 34,000 km of new railway tracks have been laid—exceeding Germany’s entire railway network.
  • 45,000 km of electrification has been completed, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
  • 50,000 km of old tracks replaced with high-quality rails.

🛤️ Enhanced Safety Measures

  • Investment in railway safety surged from ₹8,000 crore under previous administrations to ₹1.14 lakh crore under PM Modi’s leadership.
  • Rail fractures reduced by 91%, with incidents dropping from 2,548 (2013-14) to a fraction today.
  • Kavach Safety System, with SIL 4 certification, ensures high-level security in railway operations.

👷 Employment & Recruitment

  • 5,02,000 railway jobs provided under the NDA government, compared to 4,11,000 under UPA.
  • Transparent, large-scale recruitment exams conducted, with millions of candidates participating.
  • Enhanced training programs on iGOT platform have seen maximum enrollment from railway employees.

🚽 Modernization & Passenger Amenities

  • 3,10,000 modern toilets installed in railway coaches, improving hygiene standards.
  • 558 running rooms for loco pilots fully air-conditioned.
  • New locomotives manufactured with state-of-the-art technology and improved working conditions.
  • Access control at 60 major railway stations to allow only ticketed passengers on platforms.
  • Special trains to manage passenger surges at high-traffic stations.

🇮🇳 'Viksit Bharat' Vision

Vaishnaw reiterated PM Modi’s vision for 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India), urging railway employees and stakeholders to build on the strong foundation laid over the past decade.

🔍 What is an Amendment?

An amendment is a change or addition to an existing law to update, improve, or repeal outdated provisions. The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2025, replaces colonial-era provisions and simplifies the Railways Act, 1989 by reducing references to two acts into one comprehensive act.

📜 Constitutional Provisions for Amendments

The Indian Constitution allows amendments under Article 368, which provides for three types of amendments:

  1. Simple Majority Amendment – Changes made through a simple majority of the Parliament (e.g., renaming states).
  2. Special Majority Amendment – Requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament (e.g., Fundamental Rights changes).
  3. Special Majority + State Ratification – Requires approval from a majority of state legislatures (e.g., changes affecting federal structure).

Conclusion

The passage of the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2025, marks a major step towards modernizing Indian Railways, with an emphasis on infrastructure, safety, and passenger convenience. With the largest-ever investment in railway safety and development, the bill aligns with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ensures India’s railways remain future-ready.

📢 What do you think about these railway reforms? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

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