Latest news with #UnionRailway


New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Railways emerge as the preferred choice of travel for low and middle-income passengers: Ashwini Vaishnaw
NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways has increasingly become the preferred mode of transport for people from low- and middle-income backgrounds, owing to its affordability. Over the past five years, there has been a consistent rise in the number of passengers choosing to travel in general coaches, with figures growing significantly year-on-year. From 2020-21 to 2024-25, over 2,187 crore passengers have travelled in general and unreserved coaches across the country. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that even during the Covid-affected year of 2020-21, 99 crore passengers travelled in general and unreserved coaches. "Their number increased further to 275 crore in 2021-22 also," he stated.


Hans India
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Eatala presents wish list to Vaishnaw
Hyderabad: Malkajgiri Lok Sabha member Eatala Rajender met Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday and presented a representation highlighting several issues. The MP urged the union minister to give effect to the compassionate appointments, which should be made to provide relief to the families of workers who died due to medical and other reasons. Similarly, he asked for carrying out the feasibility of constructing a railway line in the part where the facilities for the Medaram Sammakka-Sarakka Jatara, the largest tribal festival in Asia, take place, and transportation facilities should be facilitated for the devotees. Besides, he urged the construction of the ROB at Ayodhya X Road to be taken up soon.


Hans India
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Railway Min reviews Nirmal line
Nirmal: Aspart of his visit to Hyderabad regarding railway development works in Telangana, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw met with BJP leader and MLA Alleti Maheshwar Reddy on Sunday. During this meeting, the Minister reviewed the progress of the railway line from Armoor to Adilabad via Nirmal. He stated that the railway line survey has been completed and directed officials to submit the full Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Railway Board within a month. The Minister emphasised that the central government is committed to the development of railway lines in Telangana. Alleti mentioned that the Union Minister assured financial approvals for the Armoor–Adilabad via Nirmal railway line will be granted soon, considering its priority.


New Indian Express
20-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Kacheguda-Jodhpur service long-cherished dream of Hyderabad Rajasthanis, says Vaishnaw
HYDERABAD: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on Saturday flagged off a new daily express train service from Hyderabad (Kacheguda) to Jodhpur (Bhagat Ki Kothi) in Rajasthan. The new train (17605), starting Sunday, will depart from Kacheguda at 11:50 pm and arrive at Bhagat Ki Kothi at 8 pm the following day. On the return journey, the train (17606) will leave Bhagat Ki Kothi at 10:30 pm and reach Kacheguda at 3:40 pm. Speaking on the occasion, Ashwini Vaishnaw said that a daily train service between Hyderabad and Jodhpur had been a long-cherished dream of the Rajasthani community living in Hyderabad. He noted that the service could not be launched earlier due to infrastructure constraints. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has witnessed significant progress in rail infrastructure, including the laying of new tracks and construction of new stations. This, he said, has enabled the launch of the direct daily service. Kishan Reddy emphasised that Telangana has seen unprecedented infrastructure development in recent years. 'Forty railway stations in Telangana are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Of these, the Prime Minister recently inaugurated the upgraded stations at Begumpet, Warangal, and Karimnagar,' he said. He also noted that the state's entire rail network has now been electrified. The event was attended by South Central Railway (SCR) General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, BJP Telangana president N. Ramachander Rao, and other dignitaries. Earlier in the day, Vaishnaw met with officials to discuss strategies for doubling the capacity of railway operations in the Hyderabad region. Along with Kishan Reddy, he reviewed plans to further enhance rail infrastructure and connectivity across Telangana. Highlighting Hyderabad as a focal point for railway development, Vaishnaw instructed the SCR general manager to increase the number of trains operating in the city from 600 to 1,200 per day. 'With the ongoing redevelopment of Secunderabad railway station, officials have been directed to plan a multi-hub model, where several stations across the city will serve as regional connectors—linking the east, west, north, and south,' he added.

The Hindu
19-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
MP seeks train from Mangaluru to Ayodhya
Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Captain Brijesh Chowta has appealed to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to introduce a direct train between Mangaluru and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, and rename Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Kannur Express after late Rani Abbakka. In a letter to the Minister on July 18, Capt. Chowta said that demand for such a train from the people of coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka is growing. The Member of Parliament stated: 'Mangaluru and the wider region of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have a rich cultural heritage deeply rooted in Sanatana traditions. The reverence for Bhagwan Sri Ram, reflected in local bhajans, temples, and age-old customs, binds this region to Ayodhya at a civilizational level. A direct train between these two cities would not only serve the growing travel needs, but also emerge as a symbolic cultural corridor, beautifully showcasing the ancient bonds between southern and northern India, as envisioned by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.' He said, in the absence of a direct train between the two cities, passengers are forced to undertake long and inconvenient journeys via Bengaluru, or other junctions, often spending over 40 hours on travel. '... A weekly or bi-weekly direct train between Mangaluru and Ayodhya, via Hassan, Arsikere, and Ballari, or via the Konkan Railway route — Madgaon, Kalyan, and Nagpur — will greatly promote spiritual tourism, cultural exchange, and ease travel for citizens from coastal Karnataka,' states the letter. Request to rename train In another letter to the Minister on the same day, the Member of Parliament requested Mr. Vaishnaw to rename Train Nos. 16511/16512 (Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Kannur) as 'Rani Abakka Express', in honour of one of India's earliest and fiercest freedom-fighters Rani Abbakka of Ullal. 'Her legacy continues to inspire generations across coastal Karnataka and beyond,' the letter stated. Capt. Chowta stated: 'This year marks the 500th birth anniversary of Rani Abakka, and it presents a fitting moment to pay tribute to her indomitable courage and patriotism. As the queen of Ullal in the 16th century, Rani Abakka led a valiant resistance against Portuguese colonial forces, and defended the sovereignty of her land with unmatched bravery. She is widely regarded as one of the first Indian women freedom-fighters to wage a war against foreign invaders.' The letter added: 'Rani Abakka's defiance against the Portuguese, her refusal to submit to colonial demands, and her strategic alliances with neighbouring rulers marked her as a visionary leader. Her resistance lasted for decades, and her story is a proud chapter in our nation's history, especially for the people of Mangaluru and the broader Tulu Nadu region, who revere her as a symbol of courage, independence, and cultural pride.' He said that renaming Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Kannur Express would be a meaningful and symbolic tribute to her legacy as a national hero, whose contributions deserve broader recognition.