On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the Indian Railways has made significant strides in tackling long-standing problems and will continue its efforts until it guarantees comfortable travel for all segments of society. He emphasized that the nation was progressing towards the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ through the modernization and expansion of Vande Bharat trains.
Modi’s comments came amidst recent railway accidents that had prompted the opposition to question the government’s performance on rail safety. Addressing these concerns, he stated, “Through its hard work over the years, the railways has made big strides in addressing long-standing issues and offered new hopes and solutions. We will not stop until the Indian Railways becomes a guarantee of comfortable travel for everyone.”
He highlighted that modern rail infrastructure is a cornerstone of the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision. This year’s budget allocated over ₹ 2.5 lakh crore to the railways, demonstrating the government’s commitment to transforming the railways through high-tech services.
To further bolster these modernization efforts, Modi flagged off three new Vande Bharat Express trains via videoconferencing. The new trains will operate between Meerut and Lucknow, Madurai and Bengaluru, and Chennai and Nagercoil. The Meerut-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express is expected to reduce travel time by an hour compared to the current fastest train between the two cities. Similarly, the Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express and the Madurai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will cut down travel time by more than two hours and around one-and-a-half hours, respectively.
Underscoring the importance of the southern states’ development in achieving the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision, Modi emphasized that the government prioritizes the growth of Tamil Nadu and the entire southern region. He disclosed that Tamil Nadu’s rail budget this year received an allocation of over ₹ 6,000 crore, a sevenfold increase compared to 2014. Karnataka, too, saw a substantial boost in its rail budget, with over ₹ 7,000 crore allocated this year, representing a nine-fold increase compared to 2014.
These announcements and initiatives reiterate the government’s strong commitment to modernizing the Indian Railways and ensuring a more comfortable and efficient travel experience for all citizens.
