Indian Railways adds 31,000 Kms of New Tracks, Equivalent to Germany’s Entire network

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Mumbai: Union Minister for Railways, Communications, and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, presented an extensive overview of the transformative developments in Indian Railways over the past decade at the Viksit Bharat Ambassador event. He contrasted these advancements with what he termed as the neglect during Congress-led regimes.

Expanding Railway Networks and Electrification

Vaishnaw underscored the significant expansion and modernization efforts, noting that Indian Railways has added 31,000 kilometers of tracks in the past ten years—equivalent to Germany’s entire railway network.

“Today, a 4 km rail track per day is being built in the country. In the last financial year alone, we built a 5,300 km rail network, which is equal to Switzerland’s entire train network,” Vaishnaw stated.

Electrification has also seen a substantial boost, with 44,000 kilometers of railway networks electrified under the Modi government, compared to 20,000 kilometers during the previous 60 years. “Today, we are heading towards 100% electrification in the Indian Railways,” he added.

Modernization and Station Redevelopment

The Minister highlighted the ongoing redevelopment of over 300 railway stations nationwide, including 120 in Maharashtra. Shivaji Maharaj railway station is an example of the state-of-the-art models being developed. “Conversion from Meter gauge to broad gauge networks should have been initiated during 1950-60s but that was taken up during NDA government,” he remarked.

Vaishnaw also discussed the indigenously manufactured Vande Bharat trains and the introduction of Bullet trains, which are set to transform regional connectivity and travel experiences.

“Bullet trains connecting eight cities between Maharashtra and Gujarat will bring unprecedented development in the region,” he said, while the Vande Bharat series aims to revolutionize domestic travel.

Future Projects and Vande Metro

Looking ahead, the Minister revealed plans for the Vande Metro, Vande Chair Car, and Vande Sleeper, which will cater to different travel needs and distances.

“Vande Metro (connecting two cities), Vande Chair car (covering cities within 500 km distance) and Vande Sleeper (connecting cities over 500 km) will enhance comfortable travel while waiting tickets will be completely done away with,” Vaishnaw explained.

India’s Rise as a Manufacturing Hub

Vaishnaw also emphasized India’s emerging status as a global hub in semiconductor manufacturing and telecom services, citing a dramatic shift in mobile phone production.

“Ten years ago, 98% of mobile phones were imported, today 99% of mobile phones are Made in India,” he highlighted.

The Minister pointed to Apple’s recent exports as evidence of this growth. “Apple exported phones worth 8,500 crore in April alone and is slated to grow exponentially in years to come,” he informed.

Inspiring Stories of Indian Youth

Concluding his address, Vaishnaw shared an inspiring story of a young girl from Bihar, working in a mobile manufacturing unit.

“When I asked how she felt about this, she told me that she was getting more recognition and respect than her village pradhans enjoyed,” he said, illustrating the broader socio-economic impact of these developments.

The event highlighted the Indian government’s commitment to transforming Indian Railways and positioning India as a leader in technology and manufacturing on the global stage.