Indian Railways has almost finished electrifying its vast broad-gauge network, marking a major milestone in the country’s push towards cleaner transport and lower carbon emissions. According to the latest update from the Ministry of Railways, 99.2 per cent of India’s broad-gauge routes are now electrified across 25 states and Union Territories, with the remaining small stretches expected to be completed soon.
Once fully done, India will run one of the world’s largest fully electrified railway systems, improving both speed and reliability for millions of daily passengers, the ministry noted.
The scale and pace of the electrification drive over the past few years stand out even by global standards. Between 2019 and 2025, Railways electrified more than 33,000 route kilometres, averaging over 15 route km every single day. The ministry note pointed out that the distance covered in this period alone is nearly equal to the entire railway network of Germany, and stressed how aggressively India has expanded electric traction.
This shift has cut diesel consumption, reduced emissions and lowered operating costs, while allowing faster acceleration and better efficiency for trains.
The ministry also noted that several advanced economies still rely heavily on diesel-powered trains because of cost or structural constraints, whereas India has pushed ahead with a near-total switch to electric traction on broad-gauge routes.
LHB coaches: modern rakes to match modern tracks
Alongside electrification, Indian Railways has also been rapidly modernising the coaches that run on these lines. The railway ministry also updated on the growth in the production of Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches.
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LHB coaches are designed to offer better safety, smoother rides and higher speeds than older ICF designs.
In the current financial year 2025–2026, up to November, more than 4,224 LHB coaches have been manufactured, an 18 per cent jump over the 3,590 produced in the same period last year, said the ministry in a statement.
Coach factories at Chennai (Integral Coach Factory), Raebareli (Modern Coach Factory) and Kapurthala (Rail Coach Factory) together account for this output, with each plant adding significant capacity.
Between 2014 and 2025, Railways has turned out over 42,600 LHB coaches—18 times more than the roughly 2,300 built in the decade from 2004 to 2014.
