Yearenders: WR's major achievements in 2024

Western Railway WR has had remarkable progress in different areas of its network in the year 2024 with significant progress in infrastructure passenger services safety measures etc Heres a look at the major achievements of the Western Railway in 2024The Western Railway said that it has been working to improve rail connectivity and make travel more efficient In 2024 it completed several important projects including the followingNew Lines and Electrification Western Railway commissioned 352 km of new tracks including gauge conversions and doubling works More than 97 per cent of WRs broad gauge route is now electrifiedStation Redevelopment Stations like Surat Somnath Sabarmati and Ahmedabad are being redeveloped into worldclass facilities Additionally stations like Vapi Valsad and Rajkot have been equipped with Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras for affordable medicinesKey Train Services Western Railway introduced several new trains this year including the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail between Bhuj and Ahmedabad and additional Vande Bharat Express trains between Ahmedabad and Mumbai The longstanding demand for a train between Bandra and Madgaon was also fulfilledIncreased Passenger ComfortWestern Railway focused on improving the passenger experience in 2024More Local Trains The number of suburban services increased from 1394 to 1406 with AC local trains crossing the 100 mark 109 servicesRestaurant on Wheels WR introduced its first Restaurant on Wheels at Andheri and Borivali stations to provide better dining options for passengersHealthcare Initiatives The Namaste Health App was launched offering free emergency advice at suburban stations on the ChurchgateVirar section Automated External Defibrillators AEDs were installed at 22 stations further enhancing commuter safetySafety and SecurityWestern Railway has continued to prioritize safety for both passengers and staffKAVACH System The KAVACH system an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection technology was fitted on 81 locomotives helping improve train safetyRescue Operations WRrsquos Railway Protection Force RPF saved 32 lives under Operation Jeevan Raksha and rescued 790 missing children under Operation Nanhe FarishteyCargo and FreightThe Western Railway made strides in cargo transportationRecord Freight Loading WR achieved a loading of almost 103 million tonnes in 2024 supporting the countrys economic growthGati Shakti Cargo Terminal The first Gati Shakti Multimodal Cargo Terminal was commissioned at Nardana improving the efficiency of cargo operationsGreen and Digital InitiativesIn line with Indiarsquos sustainability goals Western Railway has been working on ecofriendly projectsSolar Energy Western Railway installed 148 MWp rooftop solar plants saving over Rs 7 crore in electricity costsDigital Payments The Dynamic QR Code System was introduced at 412 UTS and 95 PRS counters making ticket purchasing faster and more convenientRecognitions and AwardsWestern Railways achievements have been recognised at various prestigious eventsWR won three Efficiency Shields and eight individual Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar at the 69th Railway Week FunctionThe Rajkot Division of WR was awarded a Certificate of Recognition at the National Energy Conservation Awards for its efforts in energy efficiencySuccessful Year for WRrsquos Sports StarsWestern Railwayrsquos athletes shined in national and international competitionsAntim Panghal and Parul Chaudhary represented India at the Paris Olympics 2024Mariana Kujur was part of the Indian Womenrsquos Hockey Team which won a silver medal at the 2024 Womenrsquos Hockey World CupP Suresh and Rashmi Y won gold medals at the Asian Powerlifting Championship