India’s Union Cabinet just gave a festive cheer to over 1.1 million railway employees by approving a hefty Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) of Rs 1,866 crore. This bonus, worth 78 days’ wages, will reach staff across the country and tops out at Rs 17,951 per person.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted how this payout rewards the hard work of railway workers in keeping trains running smoothly and boosting efficiency. “It’s a real motivator for them to push Indian Railways even further,” he noted.
The bonus covers a wide range of roles, from track maintainers and loco pilots to guards, station masters, supervisors, technicians, and other Group C staff. It’s all about celebrating their role in the railways’ strong performance this year—loading a record 1,614.90 million tonnes of cargo and ferrying nearly 7.3 billion passengers in 2024-25.
For context, last year the government rolled out a similar PLB of Rs 2,029 crore, which helped more than 1.17 million employees. This year’s move comes right in the middle of the festive season, giving workers an extra financial lift.
In other exciting railway news, Vaishnaw shared updates on the much-anticipated Vande Bharat Sleeper trains. The first one has passed all tests and sits ready at Delhi’s Shakur Basti depot, while the second should be good to go by mid-October. They’ll launch together to kick off reliable overnight services.
Built by BEML with tech from the Integral Coach Factory, each Vande Bharat Sleeper train has 16 coaches split into AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, and AC 3-Tier setups. Clocking a top speed of 180 kmph, it’ll be one of India’s quickest overnight options, seating up to 1,128 passengers.
Travelers can look forward to modern perks like reading lights with USB charging, automated announcements, modular pantries, security cameras, and features for people with disabilities. Buzz is building that the debut route might be New Delhi to Patna, especially with Bihar’s assembly elections on the horizon later this year.
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