Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024

December 14, 2024

Current Context : The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was passed recently in the Lok Sabha, despite disruptions.

About Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024:

Objective: The Bill integrates the Indian Railway Board Act, 1905, into the Railways Act, 1989, to simplify the legal framework by eliminating the need to refer to two separate laws.

Features :

Statutory Backing for Railway Board: Provides legal authority to the Railway Board, which has operated without statutory support since its inception.
Independent Regulator: Proposes the creation of a regulator to oversee tariffs, safety, and private sector participation, ensuring transparency and competition.
Enhanced Autonomy: Decentralizes decision-making powers, granting railway zones more authority to manage budgets and infrastructure, improving efficiency.
Board Composition: Empowers the central government to decide the number of Railway Board members, their qualifications, terms, and roles.
Operational Improvements: Aims to streamline approvals for new train services and infrastructure projects, facilitating superfast train operations and modernisation.
Regional Development: Enhanced railway connectivity is expected to spur economic growth, particularly in underserved regions like Bihar.