Newly appointed Railway Board Chairman vows to continue improvement initiative

Indian Railways will continue to lay stress on developmental works and improving passenger amenities and safety, newly appointed Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav said Tuesday. Safety is the top priority for Railways towards which, track renewal works, maintenance and replacement of tracks are being undertaken at a fast pace, he said. Passenger amenities also are on the priority list and Indian Railways would strive to provide best facilities to rail users, a South Central Railway release quoted him as saying.

Yadav, who was South Central Railway General Manager, was appointed the national transporter's senior-most bureaucrat by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet Monday after incumbent Ashwani Lohani retired. The SCR release said Yadav assumed charge as Railway Board Chairman and ex-officio Principal Secretary to Union Government, at Rail Nilayam, Secunderabad here Tuesday, before leaving for New Delhi. Indian Railways was progressing well and in the last four-and-half years, a lot of developmental works have been undertaken and completed, the release quoted him as saying.

"This initiative will continue to drive the organizational priorities of Indian Railways in the times ahead," he said. Speaking on the thrust given towards infrastructure development, Yadav said priority would be accorded to the High-Speed Bullet Train Project, Semi High-Speed Corridors and Dedicated Freight Corridors, work concerning new railway lines, doubling and tripling of Railway lines, among others. "The Railways is on course to achieve the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a New India- New Railways," he said.

Later, Yadav addressed Principal Heads of Departments and the Divisional Railway Managers of SCRs Six Divisions -- Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal and Nanded through video conference at Rail Nilayam, Secunderabad, it added.

(With inputs from agencies.)