Reform Express initiative introduces five new reforms to boost cargo and passenger services

Key facts

• Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced five new reforms under the Reform Express initiative, raising the 2026 total to nine.
• Indian Railways launched stainless steel containers with top-loading and hydraulic side-discharge systems for salt transport to cut corrosion and handling damage.
• Flexible wagon designs tailored to route-specific tunnels and bridges will be introduced to raise the current 24% share of passenger vehicle movement by rail.
• Stricter contractor eligibility, fixed 2% bid security, mandatory bid-capacity evaluation, tighter subcontracting rules, and extra performance guarantees for under-priced bids will improve infrastructure project quality.
• Aadhaar-based OTP verification and deletion of nearly three crore fake IRCTC accounts have been implemented to curb ticketing misuse.
• Passengers may now cancel tickets 72, 24, or 8 hours before departure aligned with revised chart timings, cancel counter tickets at any station, receive automatic e-ticket refunds, upgrade class up to 30 minutes before departure, and change boarding stations digitally within the same timeframe.