The Comptroller and Auditor General of India reported that railway safety enhancement efforts suffered delays as 20,304 safety-related works remained unfinished in the financial year 2024-25. The audit, which was tabled in Parliament, presented an analytical review of the finances and accounts of Indian Railways based on audited accounts for the year ended March 2025. The report identified shortfalls in planned spending and instances where funds were deployed without achieving intended safety outcomes.

The audit highlighted deficiencies in the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh, the dedicated safety fund, noting that Indian Railways contributed only Rs 53.25 billion (bn) from internal resources in the first five years of the scheme against an envisaged Rs 250.00 bn, achieving roughly 21.30 per cent of the targeted contribution. It recorded that Rs 8.23 bn under the fund had been allocated to works outside the prescribed prioritisation framework, and that Rs 33.98 bn of RRSK funds was utilised for non-priority projects during 2022-23 to 2024-25.

The report set total Ministry of Railways expenditure in 2024-25 at Rs 5,323.78 bn, an increase of 3.36 per cent over the previous year, comprising Rs 2,693.61 bn in capital spending and Rs 2,630.18 bn in revenue spending. It observed that about 76.83 per cent of working expenses were absorbed by staff costs, pension payments and lease-hire charges for rolling stock, and warned that under-provisioning for depreciation had created throw forward renewal works estimated at Rs 64.48 bn up to 2024-25.

Financial anomalies included unsanctioned expenditure amounting to Rs 194.58 bn across 1,321 cases, equal to 2.55 per cent of total expenditure for the year. Total gross traffic receipts were reported at Rs 2,651.14 bn, rising 3.86 per cent mainly on account of higher passenger, coaching and freight earnings, with coal transport comprising 51.68 per cent of freight receipts. The audit noted a decline in net surplus to Rs 26.60 bn and an operating ratio of 98.22 per cent, signalling constrained fiscal headroom for accelerated safety delivery.