Railway Minister Claims Record High Allocations for Eastern States, Highlights Safety Improvements

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand are receiving record-high financial allocations from the Centre for rail projects, in contrast to the UPA regime. He emphasized that under his tenure, train accidents have reduced by 60 percent due to technological and operational advancements.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday that West Bengal is now receiving significantly more funding from the Centre compared to when Mamata Banerjee was the Railway Minister in the Congress-led UPA government. He emphasized that train accidents have decreased by 60 percent.

In response to Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee's criticism of the BJP-led NDA government over recent train accidents, Vaishnaw highlighted the ministry's focus on technological advancements, operational changes, and training to boost safety.

Addressing the opposition, Vaishnaw accused the Mamata Banerjee-led state government of failing to cooperate fully with railway projects, citing land acquisition as a major issue.

Without directly naming Banerjee, Vaishnaw pointed out that the current rail expenditure in the state exceeds the levels during her ministerial tenure.

In a briefing on railway allocations for Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, Vaishnaw disclosed record-high financial commitments. West Bengal's average allocation has risen to Rs 13,941 crore for 2024-25 from Rs 4,380 crore during the UPA era, with Rs 60,000 crore worth of rail projects ongoing.

Vaishnaw noted challenges such as land acquisition and law and order issues. Under the Amrit Bharat scheme, 100 railway stations in the state will be redeveloped.

In Jharkhand, allocations have surged from Rs 457 crore during the last five years of the UPA to Rs 7,302 crore, with Rs 52,885 crore worth of projects in progress and 57 stations set for redevelopment, he said.

For Bihar, Vaishnaw stated the current allocation is Rs 10,033 crore, while rail projects worth Rs 79,000 crore are underway. He mentioned efforts to expand the rail network and run special trains to address long waiting lists during festivals.