Context : The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed in the Lok Sabha, aiming to modernize railway governance by merging provisions of the Indian Railway Board Act, 1905 into the Railways Act, 1989.
Relevance: GS 2 (Polity and Governance)
Statutory Backing:
- Grants legal status to the Railway Board, operational since 1905 without statutory authority.
- Empowers the Union government to determine the Board’s composition, member qualifications, and terms.
Decentralization:
- Provides greater autonomy to railway zones to enhance efficiency, aligning with recommendations from the 2014 Sreedharan Committee.
Independent Regulator:
- Establishes a regulator for tariffs, safety, and private sector participation, as recommended by the 2015 Committee on Restructuring Railways.
Faster Approvals:
- Simplifies processes for infrastructure projects and regional train service expansions, such as extending the Arunachal Express in Bihar.
