India, July 14 -- Indian Railways has announced a fresh set of reforms aimed at improving transparency in contracting and encouraging innovation in freight transportation. As part of the new measures, stricter eligibility norms and performance standards will be introduced for contractors to improve project execution and accountability. At the same time, industries will now be allowed to design freight wagons tailored to their specific cargo requirements, marking a major shift in the railway's freight policy.

Under the proposed wagon design policy, companies can develop customised wagons for commodities such as steel, cement, automobiles, and other specialised cargo, while safety certification and approvals will continue to be handled by ...