New Delhi: Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday conferred the 70th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar–2025 on 100 outstanding railway officers and employees, along with 26 Shields to the best-performing Railway Zones across different categories.
The awards ceremony was held at the India International Convention & Expo Centre (Yashobhoomi), Dwarka, and was attended by Minister of State for Railways & Jal Shakti V. Somanna, Chairman & CEO of the Railway Board Satish Kumar, Members of the Railway Board, and General Managers of Railway Zones and Production Units.
“Indian Railways Must Reach a New Level for Viksit Bharat by 2047”: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Addressing the gathering, Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Indian Railways must elevate itself to an entirely new level to realise the vision of “Viksit Bharat, Viksit Railways by 2047.”
Congratulating the awardees, he said the dedication and discipline of railway employees have helped the organisation overcome long-standing challenges, expand capacity, improve efficiency, and achieve major milestones in infrastructure and operations.
He highlighted that extensive track construction has significantly enhanced railway capacity and noted that special trains were successfully operated during peak seasons such as Diwali–Chhath, Christmas, and the summer rush, setting a new benchmark in passenger management and service delivery.
‘52 Weeks, 52 Reforms’: Ambitious Reform Drive for 2026
The Union Minister announced that Indian Railways has embarked on a transformative reform agenda titled “52 weeks, 52 reforms” for the year 2026. Under this initiative, one major reform will be implemented every week across critical functional areas including:
- Customer service
- Maintenance
- Production
- Quality management
- Health systems
- Operations
He said structured workshops are being conducted to redefine standards, identify bottlenecks, and prepare time-bound action plans, with active participation from officers across departments.
जितनी मेहनत आप सबने की है और जिस तरह कमिटमेंट के साथ काम किया है, उसका आज देशभर में बहुत अप्रिसिएशन और रिकग्निशन है कि रेलवे की पूरी फैमिली ने पूरी ताकत लगाकर कई ऐसी प्रॉब्लम्स, जो वर्षों से चली आ रही थीं, उन्हें पूरी तरह सॉल्व कर दिया है: रेल मंत्री श्री @AshwiniVaishnaw जी pic.twitter.com/dcYR0wN8R2
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) January 9, 2026
Six-Point Resolution Roadmap for Next-Generation Railways
Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined six core resolutions that will guide Indian Railways in its next phase of transformation:
1. Systemic Reforms
Time-bound reforms across customer service, maintenance, production, quality, and health systems, backed by accountability and execution.
2. Technology and AI Adoption
Deep integration of technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence, including new-generation rolling stock, advanced track systems, modern signalling, and smarter maintenance practices.
3. Maintenance Excellence
A fundamental upgrade in maintenance standards, acknowledging that short-term discomfort from moving away from outdated practices is essential for long-term safety and performance.
4. Safety as a Non-Negotiable Priority
An uncompromising focus on safety to dramatically reduce consequential accidents through better training, technology deployment, disciplined operations, and daily leadership-level monitoring.
5. Advanced Training and Talent Development
Continuous skill upgradation made mandatory, linking training to career progression and leveraging simulators, digital platforms, and modern tools.
6. Mindset Change
Complete eradication of the colonial mindset, encouraging openness to new ideas, empowering young officers and field staff, promoting Indian solutions, and taking pride in Made-in-India technologies gaining global acceptance.
Encouraging Innovation and Startup Participation
The Minister stressed the importance of engaging startups, innovators, and railway employees in the reform process. He urged personnel to contribute ideas and ensure that successful innovations are scaled across the railway network.
Drawing parallels with major national reforms, he said Indian Railways must demonstrate similar courage and confidence in embracing change. With a young workforce, transparent systems, and a reform-oriented approach, he said Indian Railways is well-positioned to become a global benchmark and a key pillar in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Rail Parivar Is the Backbone of the Organisation: V. Somanna
Addressing the ceremony, Minister of State V. Somanna congratulated the award recipients and described Indian Railways as one of the largest service organisations in the world.
He credited the Rail Parivar for ensuring safe, reliable, and comfortable travel for millions every day. Highlighting the expansion of rail connectivity to Jammu & Kashmir and the North East, he referred to major engineering achievements that have strengthened national integration.
He also spoke about the introduction of Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat trains, and said the upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will significantly improve long-distance travel.
Greener Railways and Electrification Milestones
Somanna highlighted Indian Railways’ progress towards environmental sustainability, noting rapid advances in railway electrification and green operations. Sharing his field visit experiences, he praised the commitment and dedication of railway staff at all levels, calling them the backbone of India’s transport transformation.
Modernisation, Safety and Passenger Focus: Satish Kumar
In his address, Railway Board Chairman & CEO Satish Kumar said Indian Railways has undergone rapid transformation, emerging as a modern, safe, and passenger-centric organisation.
He reiterated that safety remains the highest priority and highlighted continuous improvements through:
- Modern signalling systems
- Electronic interlocking
- Elimination of unmanned level crossings
- Enhanced track monitoring and safety protocols
On freight operations, he said Indian Railways is setting new benchmarks through door-to-door and multimodal logistics, making a significant contribution to national economic growth.
Century of Electrification and Tribute to Railway Employees
Satish Kumar also recalled the completion of 100 years of railway electrification, describing it as a proud milestone commemorated through special initiatives. Acknowledging railway employees as the “real heroes,” he credited their discipline, dedication, and service as the driving force behind Indian Railways’ transformation.
About the Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar
The Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar is conferred annually to recognise exceptional service in Indian Railways. The awards are presented in two categories:
- Individual Awards to honour dedication, innovation, and outstanding contributions by railway personnel
- Shield Awards to recognise institutional excellence and overall performance of Railway Zones
Together, these awards celebrate efforts to make Indian Railways more efficient, safe, modern, and passenger-friendly.
