The move is widely seen as a precursor to full-fledged private rail operations, whose bidding process will start in a month.

Currently, the railways operating ratio is hovering over 120%, a situation that is indicative of its poor financial health.

While no fatalities were reported in the 49 'consequential train accidents' recorded so far in this fiscal year, many deaths are reported as 'mishaps'.

There is an immediate necessity to increase earnings at least by Rs 25,000 crore in the current fiscal, a railway board member told The Wire.

Officials The Wire spoke to privately admitted that railway junior minister Angadi’s statement to 'shoot protestors' was unwarranted and would only fuel tensions. 

While the merger of mechanical and electrical cadres will end a bitter turf war, an overarching downsizing move will affect unions.

The request for proposal officially opened this month and only one bidder has responded so far.

The Indian Railways received advances from PSUs to tide over its operating ratio by coming out with a scheme that allowed its customers to pay in advance in return for enjoying a fixed tariff over the next corresponding year.

While this year’s targets may have been ambitious, earnings are also down in comparison to what the railways bagged in the same period last year.

With trial runs going on now, limited operations on the Eastern DFC will likely begin by March 2020.

In a letter to the Railway Board chairman, Amitabh Kant sought the formation of an ‘empowered group of secretaries’ to push forward the Rs 1 lakh crore project.

The national transporter is in the process of finalising bidding documents for inviting private players to run about 150 trains.

The Indian Railways has unleashed a series of IPOs to mop up about Rs 1,500 crore in the current fiscal.

Two of the big-ticket plans – privatisation of passenger service trains and corporatisation of production units – are yet to take off.

By launching a campaign to inspire travellers to give up their subsidies, the Railways hope to cut their losses in the passenger segment.

As part of its attempt to encourage privatisation in the national transporter, the New Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express will be IRCTC’s first route to offer dynamic pricing.

Facing over Rs 40,000-crore loss in passenger business, the railways intends to push trainset operations like the ‘Vande Bharat’ to boost earnings.

Sources say Adani and Amul are among the first few entities who have lapped up the offer to showcase their products on locomotives.

The number of ‘cattle-run-over’ cases has skyrocketed from at least 2,000 in 2014-15 to over 30,000 in 2018-19.

The directorate of estate, which is part of the urban housing ministry, is currently in charge of the matter and is finalising the list of bungalows to be allotted to new entrants.