Indian Railways has unveiled a major reform initiative for the calendar year 2026, pledging to implement 52 key reforms over the next 52 weeks aimed at overhauling safety, operations, technology use, workforce skills and passenger services across the national rail network.
The plan was announced at a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, attended by Ministers of State V. Somanna and Ravneet Singh, senior Railway Board officials, and other top leadership at Rail Bhavan in New Delhi.
The reform programme is designed to bring systematic improvements in service delivery, governance and operational efficiency throughout Indian Railways. Safety has been placed at the core of the agenda, with officials pointing out that consequential train accidents have dropped sharply in recent years from 135 in 2014-15 to 11 so far in 2025-26 and the goal is to bring this down to single digits.
A major area of focus will be the expanded use of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technology to improve safety systems, track monitoring, maintenance and real-time decision-making across the network.
In addition, the reform plan includes initiatives to revamp talent development and training programmes for railway personnel, aiming to build a more skilled workforce capable of managing evolving operational and technological demands. Passenger experience is also set to improve, with specific emphasis on upgrading onboard catering services, food quality and other passenger amenities.
The Ministry emphasised that these reforms align with a broader vision of modernising Indian Railways to meet future challenges and deliver higher levels of safety, efficiency and customer satisfaction.
