As a crucial infrastructure, railways have an important responsibility to participate in providing linkages to the upcoming centers of growth. In view of the rapid growth in the industrial and port sector, the State Government is looking for strategic options to improve transport facilities. This includes conversion of existing railway lines from narrow/metre gauge to broad gauge, establishment of new railway lines to connect the industrial growth centres, logistic hubs and ports. In this area, the State Government is looking for private sector participation in general as also foreign direct investments

Indian Railways, the prime movers of the nation, is pivotal to the development of the country. It is the third largest network under a single management. It carries largest number of passengers (approximately 6.7 billion in a year) and one of the largest volumes of cargo (794 million tones in the year 2007-08) among the worlds major rail systems.

IR is an efficient system of transportation. The energy consumption of freight movement is about one fifth of the consumption required by travels. IR is an efficient system of transportation. The energy consumption of freight movement is about one fifth of the consummation required by travels.