Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that the Narendra Modi Government has initiated performance-based politics in the country instead of the politics of vote banks. Replying to a discussion on Demand for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways in Lok Sabha this evening, Mr Vaishnaw said the Modi Government has brought big changes in the Railways in the last decade and has worked on all dimensions of the sector. He said the financial health of Railways has improved significantly under PM Modi’s leadership in the last 10 years. Mr Vaishnaw said that every state in the country will benefit from the record allocation made to the Railways in the Union Budget. The Minister informed that electrification of the railways, replacing diesel-based operations, has resulted in savings of approximately six thousand crore rupees. He said electrification has been completed on 47 thousand kilometres of railway tracks, bringing the total electrification coverage to approximately 99 per cent. Mr Vaishnaw said a hydrogen train has been developed in the country, which is the world’s most powerful hydrogen train.
Earlier today, participating in the discussion, Satabdi Roy of the TMC said that 341 trains do not have pantry service facilities. She emphasised that hygienic food arrangements should be ensured on trains. Ms Roy also pointed out that the Railways is charging cancellation fee from passengers even when the waitlisted tickets are cancelled.
Arun Bharti of the Lok Janshakti Party (R) said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian Railways has transformed its transportation system and is now setting global benchmarks. He stated that in the 2026-27 Union budget, a capital expenditure of two lakh ninety-three thousand crore rupees has been allocated for Railways, which will boost infrastructure development. He also claimed that serious train accidents have been reduced by 90 per cent. Mr Bharti highlighted that during the UPA tenure, 4.2 kilometer of railway tracks used to be laid per day, which has now increased to 8.5 kilometer per day.
Rajmohan Unnithan of Congress alleged that railway projects in Kerala are moving at a snail’s pace. He demanded a high-speed rail corridor in the state.
Malvika Devi of the BJP said, ” The Modi Government has given a new direction to the Indian Railways. She said announcements related to the Railways in the Union Budget will increase revenue and also passenger amenities. Malvika Devi said initiatives like Vande Bharat Sleeper, the East-West freight corridor, expanding the Kavach security system, full electrification, track doubling and new construction projects will not only enhance passenger comfort, safety and speed but also foster sustainable, eco-friendly and modern transportation infrastructure.
Shrikant Shinde of Shiv Sena said that the face of railways is changing from dirty stations to high-speed Vande Bharat trains. He thanked the Government for keeping a focus on the Railways in Maharashtra.
K. Francis George of the Kerala Congress said that the government speaks about modernisation and expansion, and claimed that the report of the standing committee on railways shows that there is a serious gap between targets and actual performance. He alleged that allocations are not translating into outcomes.
Over 210 Members of the Lok Sabha participated in the discussion.
