Railways no longer hampered by Covid-19 troubles: Minister
Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said that the Indian Railways has overcome the financial troubles due to the Covid pandemic with passengers returning to train travel.
Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said that the Indian Railways has overcome the financial troubles due to the Covid pandemic with passengers returning to train travel.
“Railways has successfully overcome Covid related challenges, with passengers returning to train travel and tremendous growth being registered in both passenger and cargo traffic,” Vaishnaw said during a debate on the working of the Railways Ministry in Rajya Sabha.
“...passengers who had taken to roads during the pandemic have switched back to Railways... Passenger traffic is expected to touch 700 crore this year,” the minister said.
Vaishnaw emphasised that Indian train fares, that have not been increased since 2020, remain the lowest compared to neighbouring countries.
“In 2020 as well, the increase was 1 paisa per km in general class tickets and a little more in AC coaches. While the actual cost per kilometer stands at ₹1.38, passengers are charged only 72 paise, resulting in a total passenger subsidy of approximately ₹57,000 crore for 2023-24,” he said.
“If we compare with neighboring countries, a journey of 350 km in a general class ticket costs ₹121 in India, ₹436 in Pakistan, ₹323 in Bangladesh and ₹413 in Sri Lanka. If compared with Western countries, the cost increases more than ten-fold,” he said.
India will be one of the top three countries this year in the cargo handling capacity, Vaishnaw said.
“By March 31 this year, Indian Railways is projected to rank among the world’s top three countries in cargo carrying capacity. India has transported 1.6 billion tonnes this year. The US and China are a little over the same numbers,” he said.
Counting the work done, the minister said that around 50,000 km better quality tracks have been replaced to ensure safety. “1,400 locomotives are being manufactured in this financial year... 2 lakh wagons have been added to the entire fleet this year... 14,000 bridges have been rebuilt,” he said.
He further said that the country is now exporting metro coaches to Australia; under coaches of bogies are being exported to the UK, Saudi Arabia, France, Australia; propulsion coaches are being exported to France, Mexico, Romania, Spain, Germany, Italy and passenger coaches are being exported to Mozambique, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka.
“Locomotives are being exported to Mozambique, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh,” he added.
There is a “laser sharp” focus on safety by introducing various technological changes, the minister informed the parliament.
There has been a 91% decrease in the number of rail fractures, Vaishnaw said. “2500 rail fractures were reported in 2013-14, they have reduced to less than 250 today.”
The minister said that the focus on safety has led to significant reductions in accidents. “In 2004-05 when Lalu Yadav was the railways minister, 698 accidents took place which means two accidents took place daily, on an average… When Mamata Banerjee was the railways minister, 395 accidents took place in a year, which, on an average meant that one accident took place daily,” he said.
Similarly, Vaishnaw said that 381 accidents took place in a year when the leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge headed the railways ministry.
“There has been a 90% reduction in railway accidents... with full responsibility I say that we should not be satisfied with this and aim to reduce it further,” Vaishnaw said.
In the Lok Sabha, meanwhile, the opposition criticized the functioning of the railways ministry, saying making Instagram reels will not help the public behemoth which is on a “ventilator” due to poor management of the government.
Participating in the debate on the demands for grants under the control of the ministry for 2025-26, Congress’ Varsha Gaikwad said claims that the rail budget was a “record-breaking” measure were wrong and it was, in fact, a “failed budget”.
Trinamool Congress MP Satabdi Roy said no amount of compensation would bring back those killed in rail accidents. The imposition of cancellation charges on tickets was “torture” for passengers, she added.
Samajwadi Party’s Lalji Verma said that Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has not increased the budget for facilities in trains.
