In last 10 years, Indian Railways built 31,000 km of tracks: Ashwini Vaishnaw
In last 10 years, Indian Railways built 31,000 km of tracks: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Union Minister for Railways, Communications and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw speaks at the Viksit Bharat Ambassador event in Mumbai.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the major improvements in Indian Railways over the past 10 years under Prime Minister Modi’s government, comparing it to the previous Congress-led regimes.
Speaking at the Viksit Bharat Ambassador event in Mumbai, Vaishnaw shared how the Indian Railways have expanded and modernized significantly. He noted that the Railways were often neglected and treated poorly under previous governments.
“Every day, 4 kilometres of new rail tracks are built. Last year alone, we added 5,300 kilometres of rail network, which is as much as Switzerland’s entire network. In the last 10 years, 31,000 kilometres of tracks were added, matching Germany’s network,” he said.
Vaishnaw also pointed out the progress in electrification. “In the past 10 years, 44,000 kilometres of railways were electrified, compared to just 20,000 kilometres in the 60 years before,” he said, adding that the goal is to achieve 100% electrification soon.
He criticized previous governments for not converting meter gauge tracks to broad gauge during the 1950s and 60s, a task that the current government has undertaken.
The Minister also discussed the renovation of over 300 railway stations, including 120 in Maharashtra. Shivaji Maharaj station is a standout example of these modernized stations.
Vaishnaw highlighted the development of Vande Bharat and Bullet trains. “The Bullet train will connect eight cities between Maharashtra and Gujarat, driving regional development. Vande Bharat trains, made in India, will transform travel in our country,” he said.
He mentioned the upcoming Vande Metro, Vande Chair Car, and Vande Sleeper services, which will offer comfortable travel over various distances and eliminate waiting tickets.
The Minister also talked about India’s rise in mobile manufacturing. “Ten years ago, 98% of mobile phones were imported. Today, 99% are made in India. Apple alone exported phones worth 8,500 crore in April,” he noted.
He shared a story about a girl from Bihar working in mobile manufacturing. “She told me she receives more respect than the village leaders,” he said, emphasizing the positive impact of these changes on young people’s lives.
