Indian Railways operates longest freight train ‘Rudrastra’, setting new national record
New Delhi: The Indian Railways have successful operated country’s longest goods train, named Rudrastra, a new benchmark in freight transportation. The train which was 4.5 kilometers long and ran from Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Division to Dhanbad Division.
According to Divisional Railway Manager Uday Singh Meena, the trial was designed to explore faster and more effective freight operations in order to save time and resources.The train was formed by coupling six box rakes and powered by seven locomotives.
The train comprises of 354 wagons, each carrying 72 tonnes of goods. Rudrastra is not only the longest freight train ever run by Indian Railways, but also the largest in Asia, according to officials. Rudrastra began its experimental journey from Ganjkhwaja railway station in Chandauli. It ended in Garhwa, Jharkhand covering 209 kilometers in over five hours at an average speed of 40.5 kilometers per hour.
The train had two locomotives at the front and one after every 59 wagons. Railway officials have called the successful run a crucial step towards optimising bulk goods transportation across the network.
#WATCH | Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh | For the first time in the entire Indian Railways, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Division ran 4.5 km long 'Rudrastra', a 354 wagon freight train made by joining 6 box rakes together, was run by 7 engines.
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2025
'Rudrastra' was successfully run from… pic.twitter.com/tk83MgfU7F
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'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
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Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
