40,000 km of railway tracks electrified in last 9.5 years: Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi [India], : Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said that there has been 40,000 km of electrification that took place in railways in 9.5 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra since he came into power in 2014.

“To achieve the vision of Aatmnirbhar Bharat, we will have to do more transportation by using our energy resources. This became possible after electrifying the entire railway. Modi ji took up the work of electrification in 2014. There has been 40,000 KM of electrification in 9.5 years. When electricity is made in our country and is used in railways, it reduces the cost of importing oil. In this way, Modi ji’s far-sighted thinking is reflected. Therefore, there is a need for the country to shift more and more transport towards railways,” said Ashwini Vaishnaw while addressing the Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) Conference.”For that, it is a combined responsibility of all of us to bring better maintenance, better reliability, better speed, and better safety. Therefore, all of you should contribute fully to this,” he asked the railway officials.

He further said that there was a question in everyone’s mind on the rolling block system in railways which was introduced about a year ago but today everyone asking why did this not happen earlier.

The rolling block system in Indian Railways is a concept that plans maintenance, repair, and replacement work two weeks in advance. The work is then executed according to the plan. The rolling block program ensures that the next 26-week schedule is always known.

“The investments and reforms that are being made in Railway Voice will completely transform the Railways. About a year ago, when the dictation of the rolling block system was first introduced, people had a question in their mind. This brought a positive change in all of you, it increased reliability and certainty. Today everyone asks why this did not happen earlier. This shows that you all have so much potential that if you work with each other, then you can achieve wonders,” he added.He also emphasized that the government will build 5,000 km of tracks every year.

“I have heard that in developed countries, they do 26 weeks of advance planning, can we do that here? A new type of rolling stock is available. A new signalling system is in place, stations are being built, and now we will build 5,000 km of tracks every year. Yards will be modified,” Ashwini Vaishnaw said.