India’s Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced a significant boost to the country’s rail network, including the production of 2,500 new general passenger train coaches and approval for an additional 10,000 coaches. The minister also highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance service quality, safety, and cleanliness across railway operations.
Speaking to reporters in the national capital, he announced that production has begun on 50 more Amrit Bharat trains, following the successful launch of two such trains by PM Narendra Modi last year, which ran from Maldah and Darbhanga. The Prime Minister flagged off two new Amrit Bharat trains – Darbhanga-Ayodhya-Anand Vihar Terminal Amrit Bharat Express and Malda Town-Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminus (Bengaluru) Amrit Bharat Express in December 2023. Ashwini Vaishnaw further informed that the manufacturing process for another 150 Amrit Bharat trains has also started.
The Amrit Bharat train is an LHB (Linke-Hofmann-Busch) push-pull train with locomotives at both ends for better acceleration.
Vaishnaw also spoke about the rollout of the Kavach system, stating that “it is also being done at a fast pace.” He said, “The manufacturing of 50 more Amrit Bharat trains has started. The process of manufacturing 150 more Amrit Bharat trains has also started. Last year, 5300 km of new tracks were added. This year also, more than 800 km of tracks have been added…”
Kavach has been designed to assist locomotive pilots in avoiding Signal Passing At Danger (SPAD) and overspeeding while also providing support for train operations during adverse weather conditions such as dense fog. By automatically applying brakes when necessary, the system ensures better control over train speed and prevents potential accidents.
The announcement of these new initiatives comes amid ongoing discussions about the need for improved train safety in India, following the devastating triple-train accident in Odisha’s Balasore on June 2, 2023, which claimed the lives of close to 300 passengers and injured about 1,000. Vaishnaw had faced criticism from the opposition, who called for his resignation following the accident.
These significant investments in the Indian railway network aim to modernize infrastructure, enhance safety, and improve the overall passenger experience.
