Under him, Konkan Railway is not just running trains—it is building icons of engineering, nurturing regional economies, diversifying globally, and scripting stories of resilience.
By Chandran Iyer
When you listen to Santosh Kumar Jha, Chairman and Managing Director of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL), you hear more than the voice of a railway technocrat. There’s a lyrical cadence in his words, an echo of the poet within him. It is perhaps this rare blend of creative sensitivity and engineering vision that has helped Jha elevate the Konkan Railway into one of the most efficient and ambitious arms of Indian Railways.
“Railways are not just about transporting people and goods. They are about connecting dreams and destinies,” Jha says. The remark captures the essence of his leadership— where steel and concrete meet imagination and purpose.
A Railway Born of Dreams
The Konkan Railway itself is a story of impossible ambition. The 741-kilometre line between Mumbai and Mangaluru connects Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka through some of the most formidable terrains in the country. A coastal strip hemmed by the Sahyadri hills on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other, the Konkan is a region of plunging valleys, crisscrossing rivers, and mountains that soar into the clouds.
When the project was conceived, many believed it could not be built. Yet, through technological innovation and sheer human spirit, it was completed—a leap of faith that transformed a long-cherished dream into reality. Since its commissioning in 1998, the line has grown into the shortest, most vital link between Northern and Western India with the southern states. Today, it serves as a lifeline, with over 30 million passengers traveling the route last year alone.
Efficiency with a Human Touch
Under Jha’s stewardship, Konkan Railway has become a model of efficiency, operating with just one-third the manpower of comparable railway divisions, making it three times more efficient. The corporation runs 55 pairs of mail/express/passenger trains, including premium services like Rajdhani, Tejas, Janshatabdi, and two Vande Bharat trains. (32million passenger in FY 25) Freight operations are equally significant, with 18 Freight trains running daily moving nearly 11 million tons of cargo annually.
But for Jha, the numbers only tell part of the story. “Efficiency is not just about cost or manpower,” he explains. “It is about discipline, innovation, and above all, touching lives through what we build.”
Engineering Marvels Across India
KRCL’s achievements extend far beyond the Konkan coast. It was entrusted with building 52.20 kilometers of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) in Jammu & Kashmir at a staggering cost of ₹19,700 crore. The crown jewels of this project the iconic Chenab Bridge and Anji Bridge stand today as global engineering landmarks.
“We are proud that these structures are not just functional assets but also symbols of India’s capability to overcome natural challenges,” Jha remarks.
Other achievements include rail connectivity projects for NTPC plants at Kudgi (Karnataka) worth ₹446 Cr and Gadarwada (Madhya Pradesh) worth ₹711 crore, track doubling between Roha and Veer stations (₹590 crore), and construction of new crossing stations and loop lines worth ₹250 crore. Electrification of the KRCL route, completed at a cost of ₹1,287 crore, has not only modernized operations but also significantly reduced carbon emissions.
Diversification and New Horizons
Today, KRCL is far more than a railway operator. It is a consultancy and project execution powerhouse, with expertise in O&M, IT, engineering, and project management. The corporation maintains BLC rakes for Northern Railway, provides O&M services for Navi Mumbai Metro, executes yard modification projects for Ultratech Cement, and even implements IT systems such as financial accounting software for MRVC.
This diversification extends overseas as well. KRCL has supplied DEMU trainsets to Nepal, manages O&M for the Jayanagar Kurtha rail link, and is actively collaborating with countries such as Argentina, Kenya, Oman, and Bangladesh. “It is immensely satisfying to see Konkan Railway’s expertise recognized globally,” Jha notes. “It shows that our engineers and managers can compete with the best in the world.”
Regional Growth Through Strategic Projects
Even as it expands its horizons, KRCL remains deeply committed to the socio-economic development of the Konkan region.
A landmark collaboration with Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) has resulted in modern rail-linked warehouses across 10 stations, with over two lakh square feet of warehousing already created at Udupi and Thokur.
Development of State-of-art Goods sheds and Warehousing facilities over KR in collaboration with CWC
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Port connectivity is another priority. Detailed Project Reports are being prepared for rail links to Manki Port, while freight terminals at Bhoke and Veer are under development. Container handling infrastructure at Khed, Ratnagiri, and Verna has already commenced operations, expected to generate revenues of nearly ₹74 crore annually.
In 2018, KRCL, in collaboration with CONCOR, set up India’s first Multi Modal Logistics Park at Balli, which has since become a vital hub for domestic and EXIM traffic. Similarly, a private siding developed for Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) now contributes over ₹128 crore annually.
Meeting the Passenger of Tomorrow
To accommodate surging demand, KRCL has introduced two new Vande Bharat trains, enhanced premium services, and completed critical capacity expansion projects such as the doubling of the Roha–Veer stretch. Full electrification of the route has improved
efficiency, while solar power initiatives 659 KWp rooftop and land mounted panels already installed.
Passenger experience is also being reimagined. Premium executive lounges have been introduced at Khed, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Thivim, Madgaon, Mookambika Road Byndoor and Udupi, with more underway. Retail kiosks offering garments, mobile spares, and footwear add to non-fare revenue streams, while a planned Rail Arcade at Madgaon promises to transform it into a commercial hub.
“Railways cannot depend on passenger revenue alone,” Jha notes. “We must innovate whether in logistics, warehousing, retail, or passenger amenities.”
A Leader Who Thinks Like a Poet
What sets Santosh Kumar Jha apart is not just his strategic vision or technical acumen, but his poetic sensibility. Even as he oversees billion-rupee infrastructure projects, he retains the ability to view railways as metaphors for life’s journeys. “A bridge is not just steel girders,” he muses. “It is a connection between lands, between people, between aspirations.”
This blend of pragmatism and imagination is what makes Jha’s leadership unique. Under him, Konkan Railway is not just running trains it is building icons of engineering, nurturing regional economies, diversifying globally, and scripting stories of resilience.
As he himself might have put it in verse, the Konkan Railway is more than a track on the map. It is a song of steel and spirit one that Santosh Kumar Jha continues to compose, stanza by stanza.