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Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, highlighted the achievements and future plans of Indian Railways during a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. He stated that Indian Railways is providing safe and high-quality services to passengers at affordable fares while securing a leading position globally. Comparing Rail fares, he mentioned that fares in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are higher than in India, while in Western countries, rail fares are 10-20 times higher than in India.
On the subsidy provided to passengers, the Railway Minister said that while the cost of train travel per kilometer is ₹1.38, passengers are charged only 73 paise, meaning a subsidy of 47% is provided. In the financial year 2022-23, passengers received a subsidy of ₹57,000 crore, which increased to approximately ₹60,000 crore in 2023-24 (provisional figures). He emphasised that the goal is to provide safe and improved services at minimal fares.Highlighting the benefits of Railway electrification, the Minister noted that despite an increase in the number of passengers and cargo, energy expenses have remained stable. Indian Railways aims to achieve Scope 1 net zero emissions by 2025 and Scope 2 net zero emissions by 2030. This non-fossil energy-based goal will completely offset the Railway's carbon emissions.The Railway Minister also announced that locomotives manufactured at the Madhepura factory in Bihar will soon be exported. Indian Railways is exporting passenger coaches to Mozambique, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, while locomotives are being exported to Mozambique, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Additionally, bogie underframes are being exported to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, France and Australia, while propulsion parts are being sent to France, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Romania and Italy.This year, India produced 1,400 locomotives, surpassing the combined production of the U.S. and Europe. Additionally, 200,000 new wagons have been added to the fleet. The Railway Minister stated that in FY 2024-25, Indian Railways will transport 1.6 billion tons of cargo, making it one of the world's top three freight carriers, alongside China and the U.S. This underscores the increasing capacity of Indian Railways and its crucial role in the logistics sector.He further stated that 41,000 LHB coaches have been manufactured with a strong focus on railway safety
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