Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, August 1st, for their guidance and record budget allocation to the Railways. He emphasized the need to depoliticize the Railways and praised constructive suggestions aimed at improving the railway system.
Vaishnaw criticized the Opposition for alleging an increase in train accidents. He questioned why the previous governments, which were in power for 58 years, failed to install Automatic Train Protection (ATP) systems. “Those who are shouting here must be asked in their 58 years of being in power, why they were not able to install Automatic Train Protection (ATP), even 1 km. Today, they dare to raise the questions,” he stated.
The Minister highlighted the improvements in railway safety during the current administration. He compared the decrease in accident numbers from 0.24 to 0.19 during Mamata Banerjee’s tenure as Railway Minister to the current reduction from 0.19 to 0.03. He noted that while Banerjee received applause for her achievements, the present government faces baseless accusations.
Allegations Against the Opposition’s Tactics
Vaishnaw accused the Opposition of using social media to amplify minor railway issues. He mentioned the example of Ayodhya station, where the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress allegedly spread false information. “Are they trying to infuse fear in the hearts of those 2 crore people who travel every day by railways?” he questioned, and applauded the efforts of 12 lakh Railway employees.
Addressing the demand for general coaches, Vaishnaw announced that 2,500 more general coaches are being produced. He assured that soon all mail and express trains will have a minimum of four general coaches, catering to the increased demand.
Employment Growth in Railways
The Minister also spoke about employment in the Railways. He compared the recruitment numbers during the UPA and NDA tenures. From 2004 to 2014, during the UPA’s rule, only 4.11 lakh employees were recruited. However, from 2014 to 2024, under the NDA’s governance, this number has increased to 5.02 lakh.
Vaishnaw’s speech highlighted the significant improvements and developments in the Railways under the current administration. He called for depoliticizing the Railways and acknowledged the hard work of Railway employees, ensuring continued progress and safety in the sector.
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