Indian Railways To Complete High-Speed Test Track By FY26

30 Dec 2025 CW Team

The test track is being constructed between Gudha and Thathana Mithri in the Nawa region of the Jodhpur Division, around 70 kilometres from Jaipur. Falling under the administrative control of North Western Railway, the 64-kilometre corridor has been designed to support train speeds of up to 220 kmph, enabling high-speed trials in a controlled environment.

Shashi Kiran, Chief Public Relations Officer of North Western Railway, said Indian Railways is building the country’s first RDSO-dedicated test track for comprehensive testing of rolling stock. He added that around 58 kilometres of the track have already been completed and the entire project is targeted for completion by March 2026.

Once operational, the facility is expected to play a critical role in enhancing rail safety, validating new technologies and accelerating approvals for next-generation rolling stock, reducing dependence on limited-capacity live railway sections for testing.

Alongside the high-speed test track, Indian Railways is continuing to expand rail infrastructure across Rajasthan. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has approved the doubling of the 25-kilometre Umra–Debari railway section at an estimated cost of Rs 4.92 billion.

The project aims to ease congestion on the route and improve rail connectivity to Udaipur, a major tourist hub. Once completed, the upgraded section is expected to allow faster train movement and strengthen links with key cities such as Ahmedabad and Jaipur, supporting both passenger and freight traffic.

Indian Railways is expected to complete its first dedicated high-speed test track by the end of the 2025–26 financial year, marking a major step in advancing rail technology and safety standards. The facility is being developed by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in Rajasthan at an estimated cost of Rs 9.67 billion. The test track is being constructed between Gudha and Thathana Mithri in the Nawa region of the Jodhpur Division, around 70 kilometres from Jaipur. Falling under the administrative control of North Western Railway, the 64-kilometre corridor has been designed to support train speeds of up to 220 kmph, enabling high-speed trials in a controlled environment. Shashi Kiran, Chief Public Relations Officer of North Western Railway, said Indian Railways is building the country’s first RDSO-dedicated test track for comprehensive testing of rolling stock. He added that around 58 kilometres of the track have already been completed and the entire project is targeted for completion by March 2026. Once operational, the facility is expected to play a critical role in enhancing rail safety, validating new technologies and accelerating approvals for next-generation rolling stock, reducing dependence on limited-capacity live railway sections for testing. Alongside the high-speed test track, Indian Railways is continuing to expand rail infrastructure across Rajasthan. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has approved the doubling of the 25-kilometre Umra–Debari railway section at an estimated cost of Rs 4.92 billion. The project aims to ease congestion on the route and improve rail connectivity to Udaipur, a major tourist hub. Once completed, the upgraded section is expected to allow faster train movement and strengthen links with key cities such as Ahmedabad and Jaipur, supporting both passenger and freight traffic.

Real Estate

30 Dec 2025

India Industrial And Logistics Leasing Hits Record High

Demand for industrial and logistics spaces in India reached an all-time high in 2025, with leasing volumes rising nearly 19 per cent year-on-year to 76.5 million square feet across 24 major cities, according to data from Savills. The real estate consultancy said the sector continued its strong post-pandemic growth trajectory, recording its highest-ever annual absorption during the year, compared with 64.5 million square feet leased in the 2024 calendar year. Manufacturing emerged as the largest occupier, accounting for 29 per cent of total leasing activity, followed closely by third-party log..

Infrastructure Transport

30 Dec 2025

Jewar Airport Set For January 2026 Inauguration

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced that the Noida International Airport at Jewar will be inaugurated in January 2026, marking a major milestone in the state’s aviation expansion. The announcement was made on the concluding day of the Winter Session of the state legislature. Once operational, the facility will become Uttar Pradesh’s fifth international airport and a key aviation hub for northern India. Addressing the House, the chief minister highlighted the rapid expansion of aviation infrastructure in the state since 2017. He noted that prior to this period, Uttar..

Infrastructure Transport

30 Dec 2025

Adani Plans Rs 1 Trillion Push In Airport Expansion

Adani Enterprises plans to invest around Rs 1 trillion, or about $11 billion, in its airports infrastructure business over the next five years as it looks to significantly expand its footprint across India. Jeet Adani, Director at Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), said the group will bid for all 11 airports that the central government plans to lease out to private operators as part of its broader airport privatisation programme. India is accelerating airport privatisation in line with its long-term goal of expanding the country’s airport network to 350–400 facilities by 2047, up from..