In a significant acceleration of infrastructure development, Indian Railways has already deployed more than 80 per cent of its allocated capital expenditure for the current financial year within the first nine months. This aggressive spending underscores the national transporter's commitment to upgrading safety, enhancing network capacity, and improving passenger facilities across the country.
Breaking Down the Capital Expenditure Figures
According to an official release, the Railways has spent 80.54 per cent, amounting to Rs 2,03,138 crore, of the total Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) outlay of Rs 2,52,200 crore as of December 2025. This performance marks a notable 6.54 per cent increase in GBS utilisation compared to the same period in the previous financial year (December 2024).
The expenditure is strategically channeled into four critical areas: safety measures, capacity enhancement, infrastructure modernization, and passenger amenities. A detailed classification reveals where the funds are making the most impact.
Focus Areas: Safety Leads the Spending Charge
The category of safety-related works has seen the highest rate of fund utilisation, with a substantial 84 per cent of the allocated money already spent. This highlights the Railways' unwavering priority on ensuring safer travel for millions of passengers daily.
For capacity augmentation, which is crucial for decongesting the network and running more trains, Rs 76,048 crore (69 per cent) has been expended out of the Rs 1,09,238 crore earmarked. Furthermore, investments aimed directly at enhancing customer amenities have recorded an 80 per cent utilisation, with expenditure reaching Rs 9,575 crore by the end of December 2025.
The Decade-Long Capex Push Yields Tangible Results
The ministry attributed this accelerated spending pace to a consistent capital expenditure drive over the past ten years. The fruits of this sustained investment are now visibly transforming the railway landscape.
The statement pointed to several landmark achievements directly resulting from this focused Capex:
- Rollout of 164 Vande Bharat train services and 30 Amrit Bharat services.
- Implementation of the indigenously-developed automatic train protection system, Kavach.
- Over 99 per cent electrification of the broad-gauge network.
- Extensive works on new lines, gauge conversion, track doubling, and traffic facilities.
- Strategic investments in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and metropolitan transport systems.
"These initiatives have significantly improved speed, safety, and passenger comfort, while keeping rail travel affordable," the Railways stated. It further added that the current trends confirm that the ministry's GBS expenditure plan is firmly on track, with infrastructural projects being executed swiftly and efficiently.
The rapid deployment of funds signals a robust execution mechanism aimed at modernizing one of the world's largest rail networks. This financial year's performance sets a strong precedent for achieving long-term goals of a faster, safer, and more passenger-friendly Indian Railways.
