-An Era of Excellence under the Leadership of Shri Arun Kumar Jain General Manager who has played a vital role in steering the Zone for three consecutive years viz., 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25
South Central Railway (SCR) has entered a historic phase of growth and transformation by consistently delivering outstanding performance for three consecutive financial years — 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25. This remarkable journey has been steered by Shri Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager, whose visionary leadership and proactive management approach have positioned SCR as one of the most efficient zones in Indian Railways. With his impending retirement this month, Shri Jain leaves behind a legacy of excellence and inspiration.
Over the last three years, SCR has achieved record highs in revenue and freight loading. The gross originating revenue rose impressively to ₹18,976 crore in 2022–23, further increasing to ₹20,339 crore in 2023–24 and ₹20,569 crore in 2024–25. Correspondingly, freight loading reached new benchmarks, registering 131.8 million tonnes in 2022–23, 141.1 million tonnes in 2023–24, and peaking at 144.1 million tonnes in 2024–25. Freight revenue also saw substantial growth with ₹13,051 crore, ₹13,620 crore, and ₹13,864 crore recorded respectively during the same years. Likewise, Revenue from passenger segment has crossed the ₹5,000 crore mark in each of these three years,
The zone also made substantial progress in network expansion by adding a total of 960 kilometers of track over this period in the form of new lines, doubling, tripling etc. In the field of engineering, South Central Railway executed some of its most significant projects, including the construction of the zone’s longest rail flyover near Gudur measuring 2.2 kilometers and the commissioning of its first-ever rail-under-rail structure near Kazipet as part of the Kazipet bypass project. Capital expenditure also reached record levels, totaling ₹47,050 crore across the three years.
In alignment with the Ministry of Railways’ vision under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, South Central Railway has identified 119 stations across the Zone for comprehensive redevelopment at an estimated cost of ₹6,500 crore. This transformative initiative includes major upgradation works at prominent stations such as Secunderabad, Tirupati, Nellore, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Kacheguda, Nanded, Aurangabad, and Jalna. Three Amrit stations viz., Begumpet, Karimnagar and Warangal have already been inaugurated, offering state-of-the-art passenger amenities and enhanced facilities. Thirteen Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals were commissioned, further enhancing freight movement and multimodal logistics capabilities.
Further strengthening terminal infrastructure in the Hyderabad twin city region, a new coaching terminal has been developed at Charlapalli at a cost of ₹413 crore. This modern terminal, now operational, is equipped with world-class amenities and a contemporary station building, significantly improving travel convenience for the city’s residents.
Electrification of the entire broad-gauge network of the Zone was completed, except for the recently completed or under-construction lines. The zone’s locomotive strength saw a notable boost with the commissioning of 396 electric locomotives in three years, increasing the total to 1,268 and making SCR the second-largest electric loco-holding zone in the country.
SCR’s commitment to enhancing passenger services is reflected in the introduction of eight Vande Bharat Express trains, 15 new Express services, and 28 additional MMTS services, catering effectively to the growing travel demand.
In terms of safety enhancements, the zone eliminated 234 manned level crossings and constructed 32 Road Over Bridges and 204 Road Under Bridges. To improve speed and capacity, the maximum permissible speed was raised to 130 kmph on key routes of SCR covering 1,835 route kilometers. In addition, 173 permanent speed restrictions were either removed or relaxed, nine longer loop lines were constructed, and 27 intermediate block signals were commissioned to support seamless train operations.
Modernization of signalling systems was another major focus area, with 289 route kilometers brought under Automatic Block Signalling and modern electronic interlocking commissioned at 128 stations.
The zone’s workshops delivered exceptional performance by surpassing Railway Board targets, achieving POH outturn of over 8,800 coaches and 20,000 wagons over the past three years. Meanwhile, revenue from scrap disposal saw a steady rise, generating ₹391 crore in 2022–23, ₹451 crore in 2023–24, and ₹501 crore in 2024–25, the highest ever since the inception of the Zone.
On the passenger security front, SCR conducted several successful operations such as Nanhe Farishte, Yatri Suraksha, and Uplabdh, resulting in the rescue of more than 5,000 children and significantly improving the overall safety of passengers.
SCR has proactively embraced innovation in its day-to-day operations, implementing initiatives such as an internet-based smart pumping system at Secunderabad, deep screening of platform lines, the Universal Speedometer App, advanced track machine operations, and the integration of NV MUX in automatic signalling systems etc. Additionally, several mobile applications—such as the Rolling Block Management App, Rail Kalarang App, LC gates/ROB/RUB web application App, Blood donation mobile App etc., have been developed to enhance operational efficiency and user convenience.
The Zone’s efforts in sustainable operations and energy conservation were recognized nationally, with prestigious awards including National and State Energy Conservation Awards, CII Awards, Green Co certifications, and Shunya+ labelling. For the overall performance, SCR was also honored with performance efficiency shields by the Railway Board over the last three years, including in the Civil Engineering and Construction categories in 2024.
Reflecting on this period of sustained excellence, Shri Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager, South Central Railway, stated that “The remarkable achievements of South Central Railway over the past three years is the result of the collective efforts and unwavering dedication of every member of this organization. I deeply value the commitment shown by our officers, supervisors, and frontline staff who have consistently risen to the occasion and delivered excellence in every sphere. I consider myself fortunate to lead a team that is deeply committed, highly capable, and always ready to go the extra mile.”
