Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw interacts with students, at Nasik Road Railway Station, Maharashtra, on Friday (October 4). PTI
Railways won’t be privatised, announces minister Vaishnaw
Ashwini Vaishnaw urged those spreading such rumours to remember that the railways and defence are two backbones of India and must be spared all kinds of politics
The Indian Railways will not be privatised, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw declared on Friday (October 4), adding that the focus now was to provide affordable services to everyone.
The government’s aim is to ensure that people can travel up to 1,000 km in comfort for less than Rs 400, the minister said in Nashik in Maharashtra.
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"In the next five years, the railways will undergo a complete makeover,” he said.
Changes expected in railways
Trains like Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat and the deployment of Kavach train protection mechanism would contribute to this change, the minister said.
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Vaishnaw was addressing the Railway Protection Force Raising Day event.
"There is no question of privatisation of the railways. I urge those spreading such rumours to remember the railways and defence are two backbones of India and must be spared all kinds of politics,” he said.
'Politicisation of railways ended'
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured the politicisation of the railways has stopped. The focus is on performance, safety, technology and providing affordable service to all," he said.
The minister said the railway budget currently stands at Rs 2.5 lakh crore and 31,000 km of new tracks have been laid in the last 10 years. This, he said, was more than the entire rail network of France.
