Indian Railways will soon recruit 150,000 new recruits, Minister Ashwini Vaishnav explained the progress of the process.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said in the Rajya Sabha, "The financial health of Indian Railways has improved considerably over the last 10 years, and now, even after meeting all expenses, the Railways have a small revenue surplus."

He said that in the fiscal year 2024-25, the operating ratio of the Railways was 98.22 percent, and the gross traffic receipts were at ₹2,65,114 crore. There was also a surplus of ₹2,660 crore. The Railway Minister said that around 5.04 lakh jobs were created in the Railways between 2014 and 2024.

The creation of the additional 1.5 lakh jobs is an ongoing process in the third term of the Modi government. According to the Minister, continuous efforts have been made over the past decade to increase freight traffic, increase passenger revenue, and control costs. Savings of approximately ₹5,500 crore in energy costs, improved maintenance, and a 400 million-ton increase in freight traffic have benefited the Railways.

Vaishnav stated that the Railways' total annual expenditure is approximately ₹2.74 lakh crore. This includes staff expenses of ₹1.18 lakh crore for approximately 1.2 million employees, ₹65,000 crore for 1.8 million pensioners, ₹32,000 crore for energy, ₹23,000 crore for financial costs, and ₹8,000 crore for maintenance. He said the government is providing a passenger subsidy of approximately ₹60,000 crore, which is 45 percent of the average fare.

Energy costs from diesel and electricity have declined from ₹37,841 crore four years ago to approximately ₹32,400 crore. A 'war room' for student complaints: He said the recruitment process for 18,000 assistant loco pilot posts has been completed and appointments have begun. The Railways has also set up a 'war room' to promptly address complaints related to examination centers.

The Minister, while addressing the special focus on the northeastern states, said that the railway budget there has been increased from ₹2,000 crore to ₹11,486 crore. A record budget allocation of ₹5,673 crore was made for Punjab, which was reported to be 25 times more than during the Congress regime.

Citing land acquisition as a major obstacle in Kerala, Vaishnav said that only 14 percent of the land for railway projects has been acquired. The Central Government has allocated a budget of ₹3,795 crore for the state this year and has appealed for the state government's cooperation.

Regarding the operational timeline of the Kalwakurthy-Macherla railway line in Telangana, the Minister said that it is not possible to set a specific date at this time. Surveys and detailed project reports (DPRs) are being prepared for the 316-km new line to connect this route, after which approvals will be sought from various ministries and state governments.

The Jammu Metro and other infrastructure projects were also discussed in the Rajya Sabha, where the minister indicated progress. Maharashtra BJP MP Dr. Medha Vishram Kulkarni demanded the running of the Vande Bharat sleeper train between Delhi and Pune.

AI-based security system in Gir National Park: An artificial intelligence-based intrusion detection system has been approved for railway tracks to monitor the movement of lions in Gujarat's Gir National Park and Lion Wildlife Sanctuary.

This system will be implemented in the 115 km stretch of the Damnagar-Pipavav section of the Bhavnagar Division and will help prevent accidents by providing real-time information on lion activity to loco pilots, station masters, and the control room.