Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday highlighted a significant decline in railway accidents, stating that the number of mishaps has dropped by 90% compared to previous years.
He made these remarks in the Rajya Sabha while responding to opposition concerns over recent train accidents.
Vaishnaw pointed out that during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as railway minister in 2005-06, there were 698 accidents and derailments, while Mamata Banerjee’s term saw 395 such incidents.
“During TMC chief Banerjee’s tenure, there were 395 accidents and derailments, and when Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge was railway minister, the number of accidents and derailments were 38,” Ashwini Vaishnaw noted.
He further asserted, “Where there was once an average of one accident per day, today the number has reduced to just 30 accidents per year. Even if we include 43 derailments, the total stands at 73. This means that the number, which was previously around 700, has now dropped to less than 80, a remarkable 90% reduction.”
The minister also spoke about the upcoming export of around 100 locomotives from Bihar’s Marhaura factory.
Lalu Prasad initially announced the factory, but it remained non-operational until Prime Minister Narendra Modi resumed work on it after taking office.
Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Bihar would soon export its ‘Made in Bihar’ locomotives worldwide.
Listing India’s railway exports, Vaishnaw said metro coaches are being sent to Australia, train bogies to the UK, Saudi Arabia, France, and Australia, while propulsion systems are reaching France, Mexico, Romania, Spain, Germany, and Italy.
Railway Finances In Stable Condition
Vaishnaw assured that railway finances remain stable, overcoming challenges posed by the pandemic.
The minister noted that both passenger and cargo traffic are growing, and the railways is now covering its expenses through internal revenue.
Highlighting production milestones, he revealed that India has manufactured 1,400 locomotives this year – more than the combined output of the US and Europe.
By 31 March, Indian Railways will likely become one of the world’s top three freight carriers, handling 1.6 billion tonnes of cargo.
Vaishnaw clarified that the number of general and non-AC coaches is increasing to 2.5 times that of AC coaches, addressing concerns about their reduction.
The current plan includes the production of 17,000 non-AC coaches.
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