New Delhi, Feb 1: From starting 200 new Vande Bharat trains to the enhancement of safety measures for passengers and more, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday promised to take the railway network and facilities to the next level using the Rs 2.52 lakh crore allocated for expansion in Budget 2025-26.

Carrying forward the momentum of commissioning over 31,000 km of tracks and electrification of over 41,000 route km since 2014, the Railways Minister is gung ho about making Indian Railways world-class with the high-speed Bullet train and infusing new technology for safety and building modern stations and bridges.

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

IANS: How does the Budget promote expansion of the Railways?

Ashwini Vaishnaw: The Rs 2.52 lakh crore allocated for the Railways in the Budget is going to boost the expansion of the network and promote the technology infusion that has been taking place since 2014.

IANS: Will ‘Make in India’ get a boost under the Budget for Railways in 2025-26?

Ashwini Vaishnaw: The new projects sanctioned under the Budget include the manufacture of 200 Vande Bharat trains, 50 Namo Bharat trains and 100 Amrit Bharat trains. Apart from this, 1,000 new bridges and underpasses will be built. Projects worth Rs 4.60 lakh crore have been included in the Budget 2025. The Budget has a major focus on safety with an allocation of Rs 1.16 lakh crore. Overall, the Budget has made mega provisions for the expansion of the network and enhancement of facilities for passengers.

IANS: What is Railways’ vision for infusing new technology?

Ashwini Vaishnaw: This Budget has paved the way for realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of democratising technology. He (PM Modi) stresses taking technology to the masses and believes that technology should not remain confined to a select few. Budget has worked to deliver on this front.

IANS: Apart from the Bullet train, what are the technological innovations that the Railways is planning to introduce after the Budget?

Ashwini Vaishnaw: We are working at great speed on the Bullet Train project and completed work on over 340 km route length. The project will bring rare technologies, like under-sea tunnels. This itself is a big achievement. There are many small innovations and technologies that Railways is bringing. Bridges over rivers and stations are being built, the work is progressing at a breakneck speed.

IANS: What is the plan for the enhancement of railway infrastructure with the funds provided in the Budget?

Ashwini Vaishnaw: The Budget has allocated Rs 2.52 lakh crore for the expansion of Railways. These funds are likely to be used for laying new tracks for doubling and tripling of existing lines. New trains will be introduced, new stations will be built and a lot of expenditure will go into enhancing safety measures.

IANS: Are there any firsts in the provisions made for the Railways in the Budget?

Ashwini Vaishnaw: An interesting provision introduced by the Finance Minister is to allow maintenance, repair and operations (MROs) for the railway sector, on the lines of existing facilities for airlines and ships. This will help generate jobs through India-based operations related to the repair of railway systems, motors and engines from anywhere in the world.

--IANS

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