Committed to make rail travel comfortable for all: PM Modi
New Delhi(PTI): The railways has made big strides in addressing long-standing issues and will not stop till it becomes a guarantee of comfortable travel for all sections of society, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday.
Flagging off three new Vande Bharat Express trains via videoconferencing, Modi said the nation was inching towards the goal of Viksit Bharat with modernisation and expansion of Vande Bharat trains.
The three trains flagged off by the prime minister connect Meerut with Lucknow, Madurai with Bengaluru, and Chennai with Nagercoil.
"Through its hard work over the years, the railways has made big strides in addressing long-standing issues and offered new hopes and solutions. We will not stop until the Indian Railways becomes a guarantee of comfortable travel for everyone," Modi said.
The prime minister's remarks came against the backdrop of railway accidents that prompted the opposition to question the government's track record on rail safety.
Modi said modern rail infrastructure was a strong pillar of the vision of Viksit Bharat. He said more than Rs 2.5 lakh crore was allocated to the railways in this year's budget and the government was connecting Indian Railways with high-tech services to transform its old image.
The prime minister underlined that the rapid development of southern states was imperative to accomplish the goal of Viksit Bharat.
"Southern India is the land of immense talent, resources and opportunities," he said, adding that the development of Tamil Nadu, along with the entire southern India, was the government's priority.
He said the development journey of the railways was an example of the government's commitment. Modi said more than Rs 6,000 crore was allocated for Tamil Nadu's rail budget this year, seven times more than in 2014.
Similarly, a budget of more than Rs 7,000 crore was allocated for Karnataka in this year's budget, which was nine times higher than in 2014.
Eight Vande Bharat trains are connecting different parts of Karnataka, he added.
The prime minister drew parallels from budgets of the past and said the multiple-fold increase in allocations further strengthened rail traffic in southern states, including Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
He said railway tracks were being improved, electrification of tracks taking place, and stations modernised. The Meerut City-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express will help passengers save around an hour compared to the current fastest train between the two cities.
The Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express and the Madurai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will cut down travel time by more than two hours and around one-and-a-half hours, respectively.
The prime minister said while the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) has helped connect Meerut with New Delhi, the distance to Lucknow has also been reduced with the introduction of the Vande Bharat Express.
"The National Capital Region (NCR) is becoming an example of how PM Gatishakti's vision will change the country's infrastructure with modern trains, network of expressways, and expansion of air services," Modi said.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, her Tamil Nadu counterpart RN Ravi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, among others, were virtually present on the occasion.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
