NEW DELHI: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the driving force behind the remarkable transformation of Indian Railways over the past 11 years.
Speaking at the dedication ceremony of 103 Amrit Bharat stations to the nation in Bikaner, Rajasthan, Vaishnaw said, “In the last 11 years our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has done unprecedented reforms in the basic structure of the railway. More than 34,000 km of rail tracks has been made in these 11 years.”
The Railway Minister described the laying of new rail tracks during this period as a record-breaking feat, surpassing even what a developed nation like Germany had achieved. “More tracks have been laid down in India in these 11 years than in the entire Germany,” he said.
“Under the constant monitoring and visionary leadership of the Prime Minister, India has electrified 47,000 rkm,” he claimed, adding that the Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, and Amrit Bharat series of trains represent the new generation of railway vehicles.
He further said that Indian Railways has also undertaken the conversion of old ICF coaches to LHB coaches in mission mode, resulting in the creation of 42,000 new LHB coaches over the past 11 years.
The minister highlighted that numerous initiatives have been launched under the Prime Minister’s leadership to elevate Indian Railways to world-class standards in both amenities and services, with an emphasis on safety and comfort.
“With all these efforts, the Railways have become a good means for the poor and middle-class families of our country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has initiated huge works for reforms in railway reforms and new construction of stations. For the first time after independence, for the first time a government has paid attention to the railway by a Prime Minister and he is PM Narendra Mod ji,” he said.
Vaishnaw also mentioned that PM Modi had laid the foundation stones for 1,062 stations in August 2023 and 2024 simultaneously. “And you all know how Modi ji's way of working, Modi ji also keeps the foundation and Modi ji also does the inauguration. So in this big programme, today 103 stations are being inaugurated simultaneously in the country by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the minister said during his address.
He informed the public that following the inauguration of these stations, another 100 will be ready for inauguration within the next eight months as part of the Amrit Bharat scheme.
“The people are watching that work is going on with tremendous speed at the station and all over the country. By 2027, the work of 500 stations will be completed with new construction,” the Railway Minister announced.
He praised the Prime Minister for providing such inspirational leadership to Indian Railways, which, according to him, is continuously setting new records in development.
